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Document And Entity Information - USD ($)	12 Months Ended
Document And Entity Information - USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2016	Mar. 02, 2017	Jun. 30, 2016
Document Information [Line Items]
Document Type	10-K
Amendment Flag	false
Document Period End Date	Dec. 31, 2016
Document Fiscal Year Focus	2016
Document Fiscal Period Focus	FY
Entity Registrant Name	Lion Biotechnologies, Inc.
Entity Central Index Key	0001425205
Current Fiscal Year End Date	--12-31
Entity Well-known Seasoned Issuer	No
Entity Voluntary Filers	No
Entity Current Reporting Status	Yes
Entity Filer Category	Accelerated Filer
Entity Public Float			$ 398,810,000
Trading Symbol	LBIO
Entity Common Stock, Shares Outstanding		62,310,892

Balance Sheets - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Current Assets
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 106,717	$ 33,587
Short-term investments	59,753	70,113
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	3,042	277
Total Current Assets	169,512	103,977
Property and equipment, net	2,374	1,676
Total Assets	171,886	105,653
Current Liabilities
Accounts payable	863	958
Accrued expenses	4,105	672
Total Current Liabilities	4,968	1,630
Commitments and contingencies (see note 11)
Stockholders' Equity
Common stock, $0.000041666 par value; 150,000,000 shares authorized, 62,248,074 and 48,547,720 shares issued and outstanding as of December 31, 2016 and 2015, respectively	3	2
Additional paid-in capital	323,994	208,195
Accumulated other comprehensive income	29	48
Accumulated deficit	(157,116)	(104,222)
Total Stockholders’ Equity	166,918	104,023
Total Liabilities and Stockholders’ Equity	171,886	105,653
Series B Preferred Stock [Member]
Stockholders' Equity
Preferred stock,Value	8	0
Total Stockholders’ Equity	8	0
Series A Preferred Stock [Member]
Stockholders' Equity
Preferred stock,Value	0	0
Total Stockholders’ Equity	$ 0	$ 0

Balance Sheets (Parenthetical) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Common Stock, Par or Stated Value Per Share	$ 0.000041666	$ 0.000041666
Common Stock, Shares Authorized	150,000,000	150,000,000
Common Stock, Shares, Issued	62,248,074	48,547,720
Common Stock, Shares, Outstanding	62,248,074	48,547,720
Series A Preferred Stock [Member]
Preferred Stock, Par or Stated Value Per Share	$ 0.001	$ 0.001
Preferred Stock, Shares Authorized	17,000	17,000
Preferred Stock, Shares Issued	1,694	1,694
Preferred Stock, Shares Outstanding	1,694	1,694
Preferred Stock, Redemption Amount	$ 1,694	$ 1,694
Series B Preferred Stock [Member]
Preferred Stock, Par or Stated Value Per Share	$ 0.001	$ 0.001
Preferred Stock, Shares Authorized	11,500,000	11,500,000
Preferred Stock, Shares Issued	7,946,673	0
Preferred Stock, Shares Outstanding	7,946,673	0
Preferred Stock, Redemption Amount	$ 37,747	$ 37,747

Statements of Operations - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
Statements of Operations - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Revenues	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0
Costs and expenses
Research and development	28,037	15,470	3,849
General and administrative	25,602	12,390	8,192
Total costs and expenses	53,639	27,860	12,041
Loss from operations	(53,639)	(27,860)	(12,041)
Other income
Interest income	745	200	6
Net Loss	(52,894)	(27,660)	(12,035)
Deemed dividend related to beneficial conversion feature of convertible preferred stock	(49,454)	0	0
Net Loss Attributable to common Stockholders	$ (102,348)	$ (27,660)	$ (12,035)
Net Loss Per Common Share, Basic and Diluted	$ (1.85)	$ (0.62)	$ (0.48)
Weighted-Average Common Shares Outstanding, Basic and Diluted	55,268	44,410	24,986

Statements of Comprehensive Loss - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
Statements of Comprehensive Loss - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Net Loss	$ (52,894)	$ (27,660)	$ (12,035)
Other comprehensive income:
Unrealized (loss) gain on short-term investments	(19)	48	0
Comprehensive Loss	$ (52,913)	$ (27,612)	$ (12,035)

Statements of Stockholders' Equity - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Total	Common Stock [Member]	Additional Paid-in Capital [Member]	Comprehensive Income [Member]	Accumulated Deficit [Member]	Series A Preferred Stock [Member]	Series B Preferred Stock [Member]
Beginning Balance at Dec. 31, 2013	$ 17,603	$ 1	$ 82,129	$ 0	$ (64,527)	$ 0	$ 0
Beginning Balance (in Shares) at Dec. 31, 2013		20,023,958				17,000	0
Stock-based compensation expense	2,559		2,559
Common stock issued upon exercise of warrants	3,222	$ 0	3,222
Common stock issued upon exercise of warrants (in Shares)		1,288,730
Common stock issued for services	1,255		1,255
Common stock issued for services (in shares)		784,500
Common stock sold in private placement, net of offering costs	32,241	$ 1	32,240
Common stock sold in private placement, net of offering costs (in shares)		6,000,000
Conversion of convertible preferred stock into common stock	0
Conversion of convertible preferred stock into common stock (in Shares)		5,653,000				(11,306)
Unrealized loss on short- term investments	0
Net Loss	(12,035)				(12,035)
Ending Balance at Dec. 31, 2014	44,845	$ 2	121,405	0	(76,562)	$ 0	$ 0
Ending Balance (in Shares) at Dec. 31, 2014		33,750,188				5,694	0
Stock-based compensation expense	6,752		6,752
Common stock issued upon exercise of warrants	9,705		9,705
Common stock issued upon exercise of warrants (in Shares)		3,880,210
Common stock issued upon exercise of stock options	255		255
Common stock issued upon exercise of stock options (in shares)		42,387
Common stock issued for services	1,771		1,771
Common stock issued for services (in shares)		15,000
Common stock sold in public offering, net of offering costs	68,307		68,307
Common stock sold in public offering, net of offering costs (in shares)		9,200,000
Conversion of convertible preferred stock into common stock	0
Conversion of convertible preferred stock into common stock (in Shares)		2,000,000				(4,000)
Cancellation of restricted shares	0	$ 0
Cancellation of restricted shares (in Shares)		(340,065)
Unrealized loss on short- term investments	48			48
Net Loss	(27,660)				(27,660)
Ending Balance at Dec. 31, 2015	104,023	$ 2	208,195	48	(104,222)	$ 0	$ 0
Ending Balance (in Shares) at Dec. 31, 2015		48,547,720				1,694	0
Stock-based compensation expense	18,904		18,904
Tax payments related to shares witheld for vested restricted stock awards	(642)		(642)
Common stock issued upon exercise of warrants	1,235	$ 0	1,235
Common stock issued upon exercise of warrants (in Shares)		592,132
Common stock issued upon exercise of stock options	626		626
Common stock issued upon exercise of stock options (in shares)		100,480
Common stock sold in private placement, net of offering costs	44,009	$ 1	44,008
Common stock sold in private placement, net of offering costs (in shares)		9,684,000
Preferred stock sold in private placement, net of offering costs	51,676		51,665				$ 11
Preferred stock sold in private placement, net of offering costs (in shares)							11,368,633
Conversion of convertible preferred stock into common stock	0		3
Conversion of convertible preferred stock into common stock (in Shares)		3,421,960
Cancellation of restricted shares	0	$ 0					$ (3)
Cancellation of restricted shares (in Shares)		(98,218)					(3,421,960)
Beneficial conversion feature of preferred stock	49,454		49,454
Deemed dividend on beneficial conversion feature of preferred stock	(49,454)		(49,454)
Unrealized loss on short- term investments	(19)			(19)
Net Loss	(52,894)				(52,894)
Ending Balance at Dec. 31, 2016	$ 166,918	$ 3	$ 323,994	$ 29	$ (157,116)	$ 0	$ 8
Ending Balance (in Shares) at Dec. 31, 2016		62,248,074				1,694	7,946,673

Statements of Cash Flows - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
Statements of Cash Flows - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Cash Flows From Operating Activities
Net Loss	$ (52,894)	$ (27,660)	$ (12,035)
Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash used in operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization	978	999	88
Amortization of premium on investments	(74)
Stock-based compensation expense	18,904	8,523	3,814
Changes in assets and liabilities:
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	(2,765)	(211)	108
Accounts payable	(250)	(290)
Accrued expenses	3,433	258	(608)
Net cash used in operating activities	(32,668)	(18,381)	(8,633)
Cash Flows From Investing Activities
Purchase of short- term investments	(110,249)	(140,665)	0
Maturities of short- term investments	120,664	70,600	0
Purchase of property and equipment	(1,521)	(1,143)	(1,592)
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	8,894	(71,208)	(1,592)
Cash Flows From Financing Activities
Tax payments related to shares witheld for vested restricted stock awards	(642)	0	0
Proceeds from the issuance of common stock upon exercise of warrants	1,235	9,705	3,222
Proceeds from the issuance of common stock upon exercise of options	626	255	0
Proceeds from the issuance of preferred stock and common stock, net	95,685	68,307	32,240
Net cash provided by financing activities	96,904	78,267	35,462
Net increase(decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	73,130	(11,322)	25,237
Cash and Cash Equivalents, Beginning of Period	33,587	44,909	19,672
Cash and Cash Equivalents, End of Period	106,717	33,587	44,909
Supplemental Disclosures of Cash Flow Information:
Cash paid for income taxes	0	0	0
Interest paid	0	0	0
Supplemental disclosure of non-cash investing and financing activities:
Unrealized (loss)gain on short-term investments	(19)	48	0
Deemed dividend related to a beneficial conversion feature	49,454
Conversion of convertible preferred stock to common stock	3	0	0
Acquisitions of property, plant and equipment under accounts payable	$ 155	$ 0	$ 0

GENERAL ORGANIZATION, BUSINESS AND LIQUIDITY

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2016

Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]

GENERAL ORGANIZATION, BUSINESS AND LIQUIDITY

NOTE 1. GENERAL ORGANIZATION, BUSINESS AND LIQUIDITY

General Organization and Business

Lion Biotechnologies, Inc. (the “Company,” “we,” “us” or “our”) is a biotechnology company focused on developing and commercializing adoptive cell therapy (ACT) using autologous tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL) for the treatment of metastatic melanoma and other solid cancers. ACT utilizes T-cells harvested from a patient to treat cancer in that patient. TIL, a kind of anti-tumor T-cells that are naturally present in a patient’s tumors, are collected from individual patient tumor samples. The TIL are then activated and expanded ex vivo and then infused back into the patient to fight their tumor cells. The Company was originally incorporated under the laws of the state of Nevada on September 17, 2007. Until March 2010, we were an inactive company known as Freight Management Corp. On March 15, 2010, we changed our name to Genesis Biopharma, Inc., and in 2011 we commenced our current business. On September 26, 2013, we changed our name to Lion Biotechnologies, Inc.

Liquidity

The Company is currently engaged in the development of therapeutics to fight cancer. We do not have any commercial products and have not yet generated any revenues from our biopharmaceutical business. We currently do not anticipate that we will generate any revenues during 2017 from the sale or licensing of any products. As shown in the accompanying financial statements, we have incurred a net loss of $52.9 million for the year ended December 31, 2016 and used $32.7 million of cash in our operating activities during the year ended December 31, 2016. As of December 31, 2016, we had $166.5 million of cash and cash equivalents and short-term investments on hand.

The Company expects to further increase its research and development activities, which will increase the amount of cash we will use during 2017. Specifically, we expect increased spending on clinical trials, research and development activities, higher payroll expenses as we increase our professional and scientific staff and continued and expansion of manufacturing activities. Based on the funds we have available; we believe that we have sufficient capital to fund our anticipated operating expenses for at least 12 months from the date of filing this annual report.

SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING PRACTICES

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2016

Accounting Policies [Abstract]

SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING PRACTICES

NOTE 2. SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING PRACTICES

Cash and Cash Equivalents

All highly liquid investments purchased with an original maturity date of three months or less that are readily convertible into cash and have an insignificant interest rate risk are considered to be cash equivalents.

Short-term Investments

The Company's short-term investments are classified as “available-for-sale”. The Company includes these investments in current assets and carries them at fair value. Unrealized gains and losses on available-for-sale securities are included in accumulated other comprehensive income (loss). The amortized cost of debt securities is adjusted for the amortization of premiums and accretion of discounts to maturity. Such amortization is included in interest income. Gains and losses on securities sold are recorded based on the specific identification method and are included in interest income in the statement of operations. We have not incurred any realized gains or losses from sales of securities to date.

Management assesses whether declines in the fair value of short-term investments are other than temporary. If the decline is judged to be other than temporary, the cost basis of the individual security is written down to fair value and the amount of the write down is included in the statement of operations within other expense, net. In determining whether a decline is other than temporary, management considers various factors including the length of time and the extent to which the market value has been less than cost, the financial condition and near-term prospects of the issuer and the Company's intent and ability to retain its investment in the issuer for a period of time sufficient to allow for any anticipated recovery in market value. To date, the Company has not recorded any impairment charges on short-term investments related to other-than-temporary declines in market value.

At December 31, 2016, the Company’s short-term investments were invested in short-term fixed income debt securities and notes of domestic and foreign high credit issuers and in money market funds. The Company’s investment policy limits investments to certain types of instruments such as certificates of deposit, money market instruments, obligations issued by the U.S. government and U.S. government agencies as well as corporate debt securities, and places restrictions on maturities and concentration by type and issuer.

Property and Equipment, net

Property and equipment is stated at cost, net of accumulated depreciation and amortization. The cost of property and equipment is depreciated or amortized on the straight-line method over the following estimated useful lives:

Computer equipment	2 years
Office furniture and equipment	5 years
Lab equipment	2-5 years
Leasehold improvements	Lesser of the remaining life of the asset or the lease-term

Expenditures for maintenance and repairs are charged to operations as incurred while renewals and betterments are capitalized. Gains and losses on disposals are included within operating expenses in the statements of operations.

Management assesses the carrying value of property and equipment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying value may not be recoverable. If there is indication of impairment, management prepares an estimate of future cash flows expected to result from the use of the asset and its eventual disposition. If these cash flows are less than the carrying amount of the asset, an impairment loss is recognized to write down the asset to its estimated fair value. For the years ended December 31, 2016, 2015 and 2014, the Company did not recognize any impairments for its property and equipment.

Fair value of financial instruments

Cash and cash equivalents and short-term investments are carried at fair value. As of December 31, 2016 and 2015, the Company had no liabilities measured at fair value.

Loss per Share

Basic net loss per share is computed using the weighted average number of common shares outstanding during the period. Diluted net loss per share is computed using the weighted average number of shares of common stock outstanding during the period increased to include the number of additional shares of common stock that would have been outstanding if the potentially dilutive securities had been issued.

At December 31, 2016, 2015 and 2014, the following outstanding common stock equivalents have been excluded from the calculation of net loss per share because their impact would be anti-dilutive.

	As of December 31,
	2016		2015		2014
Stock options		6,233,150		2,693,237		1,857,877
Warrants		6,566,216		7,202,216		11,084,426
Series A Convertible Preferred*		847,000		847,000		2,847,000
Series B Convertible Preferred*		7,946,673		-		-
Restricted stock awards		7,084		321,252		782,500
Restricted stock units		550,000		-		-
		22,150,123		11,063,705		16,571,803

* on an as-converted basis

Fair Value Measurements

Under Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) Accounting Standards Codification (ASC) 820, Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures, fair value is defined as the price at which an asset could be exchanged or a liability transferred in a transaction between knowledgeable, willing parties in the principal or most advantageous market for the asset or liability. Where available, fair value is based on observable market prices or parameters or derived from such prices or parameters. Where observable prices or parameters are not available, valuation models are applied.

Assets and liabilities recorded at fair value in our financial statements are categorized based upon the level of judgment associated with the inputs used to measure their fair value. Hierarchical levels directly related to the amount of subjectivity associated with the inputs to fair valuation of these assets and liabilities, are as follows:

Level 1—Inputs are unadjusted, quoted prices in active markets for identical assets at the reporting date. Active markets are those in which transactions for the asset or liability occur in sufficient frequency and volume to provide pricing information on an ongoing basis.

Level 2—Are inputs, other than quoted prices included in Level 1, that are either directly or indirectly observable for the asset or liability through correlation with market data at the reporting date and for the duration of the instrument’s anticipated life.

The fair valued assets we hold that are generally assessed under Level 2 are corporate bonds and commercial paper. We utilize third party pricing services in developing fair value measurements where fair value is based on valuation methodologies such as models using observable market inputs, including benchmark yields, reported trades, broker/dealer quotes, bids, offers and other reference data. We use quotes from external pricing service providers and other on-line quotation systems to verify the fair value of investments provided by our third party pricing service providers. We review independent auditor’s reports from our third party pricing service providers particularly regarding the controls over pricing and valuation of financial instruments and ensure that our internal controls address certain control deficiencies, if any, and complementary user entity controls are in place.

Level 3—Unobservable inputs that are supported by little or no market activity and that are significant to the fair value of the assets or liabilities and which reflect management’s best estimate of what market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability at the reporting date. Consideration is given to the risk inherent in the valuation technique and the risk inherent in the inputs to the model.

We do not have fair valued assets classified under Level 3.

Financial assets measured at fair value on a recurring basis are categorized in the tables below based upon the lowest level of significant input to the valuations (in thousands):

	Assets at Fair Value as of December 31, 2016
	Level 1		Level 2		Level 3		Total
Commercial paper	$	-	$	29,178	$	-	$	29,178
Corporate debt securities		-		26,578		-		26,578
US Government agency securities		-		3,997		-		3,997
Total	$	-	$	59,753	$	-	$	59,753

	Assets at Fair Value as of December 31, 2015
	Level 1		Level 2		Level 3		Total
Corporate debt securities	$	-	$	70,113	$	-	$	70,113
Total	$	-	$	70,113	$	-	$	70,113

Use of Estimates

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (GAAP) requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenue and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates. Significant estimates include valuation of short-term investments, accounting for potential liabilities, the valuation allowance associated with the Company’s deferred tax assets, and the assumptions made in valuing stock instruments issued for services.

Stock-Based Compensation

The Company periodically grants stock options and warrants to employees and non-employees in non-capital raising transactions as compensation for services rendered. The Company accounts for stock option grants to employees based on the authoritative guidance provided by the FASB where the value of the award is measured on the date of grant and recognized over the vesting period. The Company accounts for stock option grants to non-employees in accordance with the authoritative guidance of the FASB where the value of the stock compensation is determined based upon the measurement date at either a) the date at which a performance commitment is reached, or b) at the date at which the necessary performance to earn the equity instruments is complete. Non-employee stock-based compensation charges generally are amortized over the vesting period on a straight-line basis. In certain circumstances where there are no future performance requirements by the non-employee, option grants are immediately vested and the total stock-based compensation charge is recorded in the period of the measurement date.

The fair value of the Company's common stock option grants is estimated using a Black-Scholes option pricing model, which uses certain assumptions related to risk-free interest rates, expected volatility, expected life of the common stock options, and future dividends. Compensation expense is recorded based upon the value derived from the Black-Scholes option pricing model, and based on actual experience. The assumptions used in the Black-Scholes option pricing model could materially affect compensation expense recorded in future periods.

The Company has in the past issued restricted shares of its common stock for share-based compensation programs. The Company measures the compensation cost with respect to restricted shares issued to employees based upon the estimated fair value of the equity instruments at the date of the grant, and is recognized as expense over the period which an employee is required to provide services in exchange for the award.

The fair value of restricted stock units is based on the closing price of the Company’s common stock on the grant date.

Total stock-based compensation expense related to all of our stock-based awards was recorded on the statements of operations as follows (in thousands):

	Years Ended December 31,
	2016		2015		2014
Research and development	$	3,267	$	2,248	$	1,144
General and administrative		15,637		6,275		2,670
Total stock-based compensation expense	$	18,904	$	8,523	$	3,814

Total stock-based compensation broken down based on each individual instrument was as follows (in thousands):

	Years Ended December 31,
	2016		2015		2014
Stock option expense	$	16,453	$	6,752	$	2,559
Restricted stock award expense		989		1,771		1,255
Restricted stock unit expense		1,462		-		-
Total stock-based compensation expense	$	18,904	$	8,523	$	3,814

Research and Development Expenses

Research and Development expenses include personnel and facility-related expenses, outside contracted services including clinical trial costs, manufacturing and process development costs, research costs and other consulting services. Research and Development costs are expensed as incurred. Nonrefundable advance payments for goods or services that will be used or rendered for future Research and Development activities are deferred and amortized over the period that the goods are delivered or the related services are performed, subject to an assessment of recoverability.

Clinical development costs are a significant component of Research and Development expenses. We have a history of contracting with third parties that perform various clinical trial activities on our behalf in the ongoing development of our product candidates. The financial terms of these contracts are subject to negotiations and may vary from contract to contract and may result in uneven payment flow. We accrue and expense costs for clinical trial activities performed by third parties based upon estimates of the percentage of work completed over the life of the individual study in accordance with agreements established with contract research organizations and clinical trial sites. We determine our estimates through discussions with internal clinical personnel and outside service providers as to the progress or stage of completion of trials or services and the agreed upon fee to be paid for such services.

General and Administrative Expenses

General and administrative expenses consist primarily of salaries and other related costs, including stock-based compensation, for personnel in executive, finance, accounting, legal, investor relations, facilities, business development and human resources functions. Other significant costs include facility costs not otherwise included in research and development expenses, sublicense royalty expenses, legal fees relating to corporate matters, insurance, public company expenses relating to maintaining compliance with NASDAQ listing rules and SEC requirements, insurance and investor relations costs, and fees for accounting and consulting services. General and administrative costs are expensed as incurred, and the Company accrues for services provided by third parties related to the above expenses by monitoring the status of services provided and receiving estimates from its service providers, and adjusting its accruals as actual costs become known.

Income taxes

The Company accounts for income taxes using the asset and liability method whereby deferred tax assets are recognized for deductible temporary differences, and deferred tax liabilities are recognized for taxable temporary differences. Temporary differences are the differences between the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and their tax bases. Deferred tax assets are reduced by a valuation allowance when, in the opinion of management, it is more likely than not that some portion or all of the deferred tax assets will be realized. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are adjusted for the effects of changes in tax laws and rates on the date of enactment.

ASC Topic 740-10-30 clarifies the accounting for uncertainty in income taxes recognized in an enterprise’s financial statements and prescribes a recognition threshold and measurement attribute for the financial statement recognition and measurement of a tax position taken or expected to be taken in a tax return. ASC Topic 740-10-40 provides guidance on de-recognition, classification, interest and penalties, accounting in interim periods, disclosure, and transition. The Company will classify as income tax expense any interest and penalties. The Company has no material uncertain tax positions for any of the reporting periods presented.

Concentrations

Financial instruments, which potentially subject the Company to concentrations of credit risk, consist principally of cash.

The Company maintains cash balances at two financial institutions. At times, the amounts on deposit exceed the federally insured limits. Management believes that the financial institutions which hold the Company’s cash is financially sound and, accordingly, minimal credit risk exists. As of December 31, 2016 and 2015, the Company’s cash balances were in excess of insured limits maintained at the financial institutions.

Preferred Stock

The Company applies the accounting standards for distinguishing liabilities from equity when determining the classification and measurement of its preferred stock. Preferred shares subject to mandatory redemption are classified as liability instruments and are measured at fair value. Conditionally redeemable preferred shares (including preferred shares that feature redemption rights that are either within the control of the holder or subject to redemption upon the occurrence of uncertain events not solely within the Company’s control) are classified as temporary equity. At all other times, preferred shares are classified as stockholders’ equity.

Convertible Instruments

The Company applies the accounting standards for derivatives and hedging and for distinguishing liabilities from equity when accounting for hybrid contracts that feature conversion options. The accounting standards require companies to bifurcate conversion options from their host instruments and account for them as free standing derivative financial instruments according to certain criteria. The criteria includes circumstances in which (i) the economic characteristics and risks of the embedded derivative instrument are not clearly and closely related to the economic characteristics and risks of the host contract, (ii) the hybrid instrument that embodies both the embedded derivative instrument and the host contract is not re-measured at fair value under otherwise applicable generally accepted accounting principles with changes in fair value reported in earnings as they occur and (iii) a separate instrument with the same terms as the embedded derivative instrument would be considered a derivative instrument. The derivative is subsequently marked to market at each reporting date based on current fair value, with the changes in fair value reported in results of operations.

Conversion options that contain variable settlement features such as provisions to adjust the conversion price upon subsequent issuances of equity or equity linked securities at exercise prices more favorable than that featured in the hybrid contract generally result in their bifurcation from the host instrument.

The Company also records, when necessary, deemed dividends for the intrinsic value of the conversion options embedded in preferred stock based upon the difference between the fair value of the underlying common stock at the commitment date of the transaction and the effective conversion price embedded in the preferred stock.

Recent Accounting Standards

In June 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-15, “Statement of Cash Flows (Topic 230), a consensus of the FASB’s Emerging Issues Task Force.” The new guidance is intended to reduce diversity in practice in how certain transactions are classified in the statement of cash flows. The ASU is effective for public companies for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2017, and interim periods within those fiscal years. Early adoption is permitted, including interim periods within those fiscal years. An entity that elects early adoption must adopt all of the amendments in the same period. The guidance requires application using a retrospective transition method. The Company is currently evaluating the effects, if any, that the adoption of this guidance will have on the Company’s statements of cash flows.

In March 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-09, Compensation - Stock Compensation (Topic 718): Improvements to Employee Share-Based Payment Accounting. This ASU identifies areas for simplification involving several aspects of accounting for share-based payment transactions, including the income tax consequences, classification of awards as either equity or liabilities, an option to recognize gross stock compensation expense with actual forfeitures recognized as they occur, as well as certain classifications on the statement of cash flows. This ASU will be effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2016, and interim periods within those annual periods. The Company is currently evaluating the impact that the adoption of this standard will have on its financial statements. Early adoption is permitted.

In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-02-Leases with fundamental changes to how entities account for leases. Lessees will need to recognize a right-of-use asset and a lease liability for virtually all of their leases (other than leases that meet the definition of a short-term lease). The liability will be equal to the present value of lease payments. The asset will be based on the liability, subject to adjustment, such as for initial direct costs. Additional disclosures for leases will also be required. The standard is effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those fiscal years, beginning after December 15, 2018. Early adoption is permitted. The new standard must be adopted using a modified retrospective transition, and provides for certain practical expedients. The Company is currently assessing the potential impact of this standard on its financial statements.

In January 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-01 Financial Instruments-Overall, which address certain aspects of recognition, measurement, presentation, and disclosure of financial instruments. The amendments in this update are effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2017, including interim periods within those fiscal years. Earlier application is permitted under specific circumstances. The Company is currently assessing the potential impact of this standard on its financial statements.

In November 2015, the FASB issued ASU 2015-17, Income Taxes (Topic 740): Balance Sheet Classification of Deferred Taxes (“ASU No. 2015-17”). The guidance eliminates the requirement to present deferred tax assets and liabilities as current and noncurrent amounts in a classified balance sheet. The new standard requires deferred tax assets and liabilities to be classified as noncurrent. The amendments in this update are effective for financial statements issued for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2016, and interim periods within those annual periods. Earlier application is permitted for all entities as of the beginning of an interim or annual reporting period and may be applied either prospectively or retrospectively to all periods presented. The Company is currently evaluating the effects, if any, that the adoption of this guidance will have on its financial statements.

In August 2014, the FASB issued ASU No. 2014-15, “Disclosure of Uncertainties about an Entity’s Ability to Continue as a Going Concern” that requires management to evaluate whether there are conditions and events that raise substantial doubt about the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern within one year after the financial statements are issued on both an interim and annual basis. Management is required to provide certain footnote disclosures if it concludes that substantial doubt exists or when its plans alleviate substantial doubt about the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern. ASU 2014-15 becomes effective for annual periods ending after December 15, 2016 and for interim reporting periods thereafter. The Company adopted this ASU and it did not have a material impact on the Company’s disclosures in the footnotes to its financial statements.

In May 2014, the FASB issued ASU 2014-09, “Revenue from Contracts with Customers,” which supersedes the revenue recognition requirements in Topic 605, “Revenue Recognition” and requires entities to recognize revenue in a way that depicts the transfer of promised goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration to which the entity expects to be entitled in exchange for those goods or services. In August 2015, the FASB issued ASU 2015-14, which defers by one year the effective date of ASU 2014-09. Accordingly, this guidance is effective for interim and annual periods beginning after December 15, 2017 with early adoption permitted for interim and annual periods beginning after December 15, 2016. In March 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-08 “Principal versus Agent Considerations (Reporting Revenue Gross versus Net),” which finalizes its amendments to the guidance in the new revenue standard on assessing whether an entity is a principal or an agent in a revenue transaction. This conclusion impacts whether an entity reports revenue on a gross or net basis. In April 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-10 “Identifying Performance Obligations and Licensing” which finalizes its amendments to the guidance in the new revenue standard regarding the identification of performance obligations and accounting for the license of intellectual property. In May 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-12 “Narrow-Scope Improvements and Practical Expedients” which finalizes its amendments to the guidance in the new revenue standard on collectability, noncash consideration, presentation of sales tax, and transition. In December 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-20, "Technical Corrections and Improvements to Topic 606, Revenue from Contracts with Customers," which continues the FASB's ongoing project to issue technical corrections and improvements to clarify the codification or correct unintended applications of guidance. The amendments are intended to make the guidance more operable and lead to more consistent application. The amendments have the same effective date and transition requirements as the new revenue recognition standard. The Company is currently evaluating the effects, if any, that the adoption of this guidance will have on the Company’s financial position, results of operations, and cash flows.

Segment reporting

The Company operates in one segment, focused on developing and commercializing ACT using autologous TIL for the treatment of metastatic melanoma and other solid cancers.

Subsequent Events

Management evaluates events that have occurred after the balance sheet date but before the financial statements are issued. Based upon the review, management did not identify any recognized or non-recognized subsequent events which would have required an adjustment or disclosure in the financial statements, except as described in Note 15.

Reclassifications

Certain amounts within the balance sheets and statements of operations and stockholders’ equity for the prior periods have been reclassified to conform with the current period presentation. These reclassifications had no impact on the Company's previously reported financial position or cash flows for any of the periods presented.

CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS, AND SHORT-TERM INVESTMENTS

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2016

Cash, Cash Equivalents, and Short-term Investments [Abstract]

Cash, Cash Equivalents, and Short-term Investments [Text Block]

NOTE 3. CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS, AND SHORT-TERM INVESTMENTS

Cash and cash equivalents, and short-term investments consist of the following (in thousands):

	As of December 31,
	2016		2015
Cash - Demand deposits	$	76,071	$	13,642
Cash equivalents - money market funds		30,646		19,945
Cash and cash equivalents total	$	106,717	$	33,587

	As of December 31,
	2016		2015
Commercial paper	$	29,178	$	-
Corporate debt securities		26,578		70,113
US Government agency securities		3,997		-
Short-term investments total	$	59,753	$	70,113

Money market funds and short-term investments include the following securities with gross unrealized gains and losses (in thousands):

			Gross		Gross
			Unrealized		Unrealized
As of December 31, 2016	Cost		Gains		Losses		Fair Value
Money market funds	$	30,646	$	-	$	-	$	30,646
Commercial paper		29,118		60		-		29,178
Corporate debt securities		26,606		1		(29)		26,578
US Government agency securities		4,000		-		(3)		3,997
Total	$	90,370	$	61	$	(32)	$	90,399

Unrealized gains and losses are included in Accumulated other comprehensive income.

			Gross		Gross
			Unrealized		Unrealized
As of December 31, 2015	Cost		Gains		Losses		Fair Value
Money market funds	$	19,945	$	-	$	-	$	19,945
Corporate debt securities		70,065		48		-		70,113
Total	$	90,010	$	48	$	-	$	90,058

As of December 31, 2016, the contractual maturities of our short-term investments were (in thousands):

		Amortized Cost			Estimated Fair Value
Less than one year		$	59,724		$	59,753

BALANCE SHEET COMPONENTS

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2016

Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]

PROPERTY AND EQUIPMENT

NOTE 4. BALANCE SHEET COMPONENTS

Property and equipment, net consists of the following (in thousands):

	As of December 31,
	2016		2015
Lab equipment	$	2,405	$	1,703
Leasehold improvements		1,381		853
Computer equipment		245		85
Office furniture and equipment		148		138
Construction in progress		276		-
Total Property and equipment, cost		4,455		2,779
Less: Accumulated depreciation and amortization		(2,081)		(1,103)
Property and equipment, net	$	2,374	$	1,676

Depreciation expense for the years ended December 31, 2016, 2015 and 2014 was $1.0 million, $1.0 million and $0.1 million, respectively.

Accrued liabilities consist of the following (in thousands):

	As of December 31,
	2016		2015
Accrued payroll and employee related expenses	$	1,581	$	31
Legal and related services		927		91
Clinical related		614		89
Manufacturing related		437		290
Deferred rent		422		24
Accrued other		124		147
	$	4,105	$	672

STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2016

Stockholders' Equity Note [Abstract]

STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY

NOTE 5. STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY

Preferred stock

The Company’s articles of incorporation authorize the issuance of up to 50,000,000 shares of “blank check” preferred stock. At December 31, 2016 17,000 have been designated as the Series A Convertible Preferred Stock and 11,500,000 designated as Series B Convertible Preferred Stock.

Series A Convertible Preferred Stock

A total of 17,000 shares of Series A Convertible Preferred Stock (“Series A Preferred Stock”) have been authorized for issuance under the Certificate of Designation of Preferences and Rights of Series A Convertible Preferred Stock. The shares of Series A Preferred Stock have a stated value of $1,000 per share and are initially convertible into shares of common stock at a price of $2.00 per share, subject to adjustment.

The Series A Preferred Stock may, at the option of each investor, be converted into fully paid and non-assessable shares of common stock. The holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock do not have the right to vote on matters that come before stockholders. In the event of any dissolution or winding up of the Company, proceeds shall be paid pari passu among the holders of the shares of common stock and preferred stock, pro rata based on the number of shares held by each holder. The Company may not declare, pay or set aside any dividends on shares of capital stock of the Company (other than dividends on shares of common stock payable in shares of common stock) unless the holders of the Series A Preferred Stock shall first receive an equal dividend on each outstanding share of Series A Preferred Stock.

During the years ended December 31, 2016, 2015 and 2014, zero shares, 4,000 and 11,306 shares, respectively, of Series A Preferred Stock were converted into zero, 2,000,000 and 5,653,000 shares of common stock, respectively. The common shares issued were determined on a formula basis of 500 common shares for each share of Series A Preferred Stock converted.

Series B Preferred Stock

In June 2016, the Company created a new class of Preferred Stock designated as Series B Convertible Preferred Stock (the “Series B Preferred”). The rights of the Series B Preferred are set forth in the Certificate of Designation of Rights, Preferences and Privileges of Series B Preferred Stock (the “Series B Certificate of Designation”). A total of 11,500,000 shares of Series B Preferred are authorized for issuance under the Series B Certificate of Designation. The shares of Series B Preferred have a stated value of $4.75 per share and are convertible into shares of common stock at an initial conversion price of $4.75 per share.

Holders of the Series B Preferred are entitled to dividends on an as-if-converted basis in the same form as any dividends actually paid on shares of the Company’s Series A Preferred Stock or the Company’s common stock. So long as any Series B Preferred remains outstanding, the Company may not redeem, purchase or otherwise acquire any material amount of our Series A Preferred Stock or any junior securities.

During the year ended December 31, 2016 3,421,960 shares of Series B Preferred Stock were converted into 3,421,960 shares of common stock, and 7,946,673 shares of Series B Preferred Stock remained outstanding at December 31, 2016.

2016 Private Placement

On June 2, 2016, the Company entered into a securities purchase agreement with various institutional and individual accredited investors to raise gross proceeds of $100 million in a private placement (the “2016 Private Placement”). On June 7, 2016, the Company completed the 2016 Private Placement. In the 2016 Private Placement, the Company issued (i) 9,684,000 shares of its common stock and (ii) 11,368,633 shares of its new Series B Preferred. The shares of common stock and Series B Preferred were sold for $4.75 per share. The shares of Series B Preferred initially were not convertible into common stock and, except as required by law, are non-voting. On July 7, 2016 the Company filed a proxy statement with the SEC with respect to a stockholders meeting that was held on August 16, 2016 at which the stockholders were asked to vote on a proposal to permit the Series B Preferred to become convertible into shares of the Company’s common stock and to permit the issuance of shares of common stock upon such conversion. The requisite stockholder approval was obtained and, as a result, on August 16, 2016 the Series B Preferred became convertible into shares of common stock at an initial conversion price of $4.75 per share.

The Company has also evaluated its convertible preferred stock in accordance with the provisions of ASC 815, Derivatives and Hedging, including consideration of embedded derivatives requiring bifurcation. The issuance of the convertible preferred stock could generate a beneficial conversion feature (“BCF”), which arises when a debt or equity security is issued with an embedded conversion option that is beneficial to the investor or in the money at inception because the conversion option has an effective strike price that is less than the market price of the underlying stock at the commitment date. The Company recognized the BCF by allocating the intrinsic value of the conversion option, which is the number of shares of common stock available upon conversion multiplied by the difference between the effective conversion price per share and the fair value of common stock per share on the commitment date, to additional paid-in capital, resulting in a discount on the convertible preferred stock. As the convertible preferred stock may be converted immediately, the Company recognized a BCF of $49.5 million as a deemed dividend in the statements of operations. This one-time, non-cash charge impacted net loss attributable to common stockholder and loss per share for the year ended December 31, 2016.

The Company received net proceeds of approximately $95.7 million from the 2016 Private Placement, after paying placement agent fees and estimated offering expenses.

Warrants

A summary of the status of stock warrants at December 31, 2016, and the changes during the three years then ended, is presented in the following table:

					Weighted
			Weighted		Average		Aggregate
	Shares		Average		Remaining		Intrinsic
	Under		Exercise		Contractual		Value
	Warrants		Price		Life		(in thousands)
Outstanding at January 1, 2014		12,373,156	$	2.51
Issued		-		-
Exercised		(1,288,730)		2.50
Expired/Cancelled		-		-
Outstanding at December 31, 2014		11,084,426	$	2.51
Issued		-		-
Exercised		(3,882,210)		2.50
Expired/Cancelled		-		-
Outstanding at December 31, 2015		7,202,216	$	2.51
Issued		-		-
Exercised		(592,132)		2.50
Expired/Cancelled		(43,868)		2.50
Outstanding at December 31, 2016		6,566,216	$	2.51		1.8 years	$	29,220

- Definition

The entire disclosure for shareholders' equity comprised of portions attributable to the parent entity and noncontrolling interest, including other comprehensive income. Includes, but is not limited to, balances of common stock, preferred stock, additional paid-in capital, other capital and retained earnings, accumulated balance for each classification of other comprehensive income and amount of comprehensive income.

+ References

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Reference 14: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
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+ Details

STOCK BASED COMPENSATION

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2016

Disclosure of Compensation Related Costs, Share-based Payments [Abstract]

STOCK OPTIONS AND WARRANTS

NOTE 6. STOCK BASED COMPENSATION

Stock Plans

On September 19, 2014, the Company’s Board of Directors adopted the Lion Biotechnologies, Inc. 2014 Equity Incentive Plan (the “2014 Plan”). The 2014 Plan was approved by our stockholders at the annual meeting of stockholders held in November 2014. The 2014 Plan as approved by the stockholders authorized the issuance up to an aggregate of 2,350,000 shares of common stock. On April 10, 2015 the Board amended the 2014 Plan to increase the total number of shares that can be issued under the 2014 Plan by 1,650,000 from 2,350,000 shares to 4,000,000 shares. The increase in shares available for issuance under the 2014 Plan was approved by stockholders on June 12, 2015.

On August 16, 2016 the stockholders approved the increase the total number of shares that can be issued under the 2014 Plan by 5,000,000 from 4,000,000 shares to 9,000,000 shares. At December 31, 2016 3,287,743 shares were available for grant under the Company’s 2014 plan.

Restricted Stock Units

On June 1, 2016, the Company entered into a restricted stock unit agreement with the Company’s new Chief Executive Officer (Maria Fardis, Ph.D.) pursuant to which the Company granted Dr. Fardis 550,000 non-transferrable restricted stock units at fair market value of $5.87 per share as an inducement of employment pursuant to the exception to The NASDAQ Global Market rules that generally require stockholder approval of equity incentive plans. The 550,000 restricted stock units will vest in installments as follows: (i) 137,500 restricted stock units will vest upon the first anniversary of the effective date of Dr. Fardis’ employment agreement; (ii) 275,000 restricted stock units will vest upon the satisfaction of certain clinical trial milestones; and (iii) 137,500 restricted stock units will vest in equal monthly installments over the 36-month period following the first anniversary of the effective date of Dr. Fardis’ employment, provided that Dr. Fardis has been continuously employed with the Company as of such vesting dates.

Stock-based compensation expense for RSUs is measured based on the closing fair market value of the Company's common stock on the date of grant. As of December 31, 2016, $1.7 million of total unrecognized compensation costs related to non-vested employee options are scheduled to be recognized over a weighted average period of 1.8 years.

During the year ended December 31, 2016 the Company recognized $1.5 million.

Stock Options

A summary of the status of stock options at December 31, 2016, and the changes during the three years then ended, is presented in the following table:

					Weighted
			Weighted		Average		Aggregate
	Number		Average		Remaining		Intrinsic
	of		Exercise		Contractual		Value
	Options		Price		Life		(in thousands)
Outstanding at January 1, 2014		278,750	$	23.10
Granted		1,604,127		6.58
Exercised		-		-
Expired/Forfeited		(25,000)		125.00
Outstanding at December 31, 2014		1,857,877	$	7.31
Granted		1,171,984		8.12
Exercised		(42,387)		-
Expired/Forfeited		(294,237)		2.88
Outstanding at December 31, 2015		2,693,237	$	8.12
Granted		4,407,983		6.86
Exercised		(100,480)		6.23
Expired/Forfeited		(767,590)		8.12
Outstanding at December 31, 2016		6,233,150	$	7.24		7.3 years	$	3,719
Vested and expected to vest at December 31, 2016		6,122,663	$	7.28
Exercisable at December 31, 2016		2,496,695	$	7.35		4.1 years	$	1,839
Exercisable at December 31, 2015		1,099,043	$	8.38		6.9 years	$	1,487

The total pre-tax intrinsic value of stock options exercised during the year ended December 31, 2016, 2015, and 2014 was $0.2 million, $0.0 million, and $0.0 million, respectively.

The weighted average grant date fair value for employee options granted under the Company's stock option plans during the year ended December 31, 2016, 2015, and 2014 was $6.78, $8.77, and $6.66, per option respectively.

As of December 31, 2016, $22.5 million of total unrecognized compensation costs related to non-vested employee options are scheduled to be recognized over a weighted average period of 1.9 years.

The following table summarizes the assumptions relating to options granted pursuant to our equity incentive plans for the years ended December 31, 2016, 2015 and 2014:

	Years Ended December 31,
	2016	2015	2014
Expected dividend yield	0%	0%	0%
Risk-free interest rate	2.16 % - 1.18%	1.56%	3.00% - 2.00%
Expected term (in years)	6.50 - 5.07	6.00	7.0 - 5.0
Expected volatility	213.60% - 189.40%	218.00% - 207.00%	236.00% - 218.00%

Expected Dividend Yield—The Company has never paid dividends and does not expect to pay dividends in the foreseeable future.

Risk-Free Interest Rate—The risk-free interest rate was based on the market yield currently available on United States Treasury securities with maturities approximately equal to the option’s expected term.

Expected Term—The expected term of the stock option grants was calculated using the “simplified” method in accordance with the SEC Staff Accounting Bulletin 107. The “simplified” method was used since the Company believes its historical data does not provide a reasonable basis upon which to estimate expected term and the Company does not have enough option exercise data from its grants issued to support its own estimate as a result of vesting terms and changes in the stock price. The “simplified” method, as permitted by the SEC, is calculated as the average of the time-to-vesting and the contractual life of the options.

Expected Volatility—The expected volatility is based on the historical volatility for the Company's stock over a period equal to the expected terms of the options.

Forfeiture Rate—The Company estimates its forfeiture rate based on an analysis of its actual forfeitures and will continue to evaluate the adequacy of the forfeiture rate based on actual forfeiture experience, analysis of employee turnover behavior, and other factors. The impact from a forfeiture rate adjustment will be recognized in full in the period of adjustment, and if the actual number of future forfeitures differs from that estimated by the Company, the Company may be required to record adjustments to stock-based compensation expense in future periods.

Each of the inputs discussed above is subjective and generally requires significant management judgment.

During the years ended December 31, 2016, 2015, and 2014, the Company recorded compensation costs of $16.5 million, $6.8 million, and $2.6 million, respectively, relating to the vesting of stock options.

A summary of outstanding, exercisable and vested stock options as of December 31, 2016 is as follows (in thousands, except per share amounts):

	Options Outstanding								Exercisable
			Weighted								Weighted
			Average		Weighted						Average		Weighted
	Number of		Remaining Contractual		Average Exercise		Aggregate		Number of		Remaining Contractual		Average Exercise		Aggregate
Range of Exercise Prices	Shares		Life		Price Per Share		Intrinsic Value		Shares		Life		Price Per Share		Intrinsic Value
$3.13 - $4.94		246,500		8.53	$	4.49	$			21,500		1.14	$	3.97
$5.05 - $5.87		1,875,945		6.11		5.52				903,445		2.67		5.43
$6.10 - $6.70		660,009		4.01		6.3				622,007		3.73		6.3
$7.00 - $7.61		2,016,946		8.96		7.51				353,307		5.2		7.34
$8.02 - $11.05		1,424,750		8.03		9.46				587,436		6.03		10.12
$85.61 - $117		9,000		4.72		99.12				9,000		4.72		99.12
		6,233,150		7.34	$	7.24	$	3,719		2,496,695		4.08	$	7.35	$	1,839

Restricted Common Stock Awards

The following table summarizes restricted common stock awards activity:

			Weighted Average
	Number		Grant Date
	of Shares		Fair Value
Non-vested shares, January 1, 2014		-	$	-
Granted		782,500		7.04
Vested		-		-
Forfeited		-		-
Non-vested shares, December 31, 2014		782,500	$	7.04
Granted		15,000		8.44
Vested		(284,748)		4.31
Forfeited		(191,500)		6.81
Non-vested shares, December 31, 2015		321,252	$	6.96
Granted		-		-
Vested		(274,167)		6.90
Forfeited		(40,001)		7.02
Non-vested shares, December 31, 2016		7,084	$	6.48

During the years ended December 31, 2016, 2015, and 2014, the Company recorded compensation costs of $1.0 million, $1.8 million and $1.3 million, respectively, in connection with these awards and is recognized as expense in the accompanying statements of operations. As of December 31, 2016, the amount of unvested compensation related to the unvested outstanding shares of restricted common stock was $0.0 million which will be recorded as expense in over a weighted average life of 0.61 years as the shares vest.

- Definition

The entire disclosure for compensation-related costs for equity-based compensation, which may include disclosure of policies, compensation plan details, allocation of equity compensation, incentive distributions, equity-based arrangements to obtain goods and services, deferred compensation arrangements, employee stock ownership plan details and employee stock purchase plan details.

+ References + Details

EMPLOYEE BENEFIT PLAN

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2016

Compensation and Retirement Disclosure [Abstract]

Compensation and Employee Benefit Plans [Text Block]

NOTE.7 EMPLOYEE BENEFIT PLAN

The Company maintains a defined contribution plan covering substantially all U.S. employees under Section 401(k) of the Internal Revenue Code. The Company's matching contribution to the plan was $0.1 million, $0.0 million, and $0.0 million for the year ended December 31, 2016, 2015 and 2014, respectively.

SEPARATION AGREEMENTS

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2016

Restructuring and Related Activities [Abstract]

Separation Agreements Disclosure [Text Block]

NOTE 8. SEPARATION AGREEMENTS

In June 2016, we entered into a separation agreement with Dr. Elma Hawkins, our former Chief Executive Officer. Under the terms of the agreement, Dr. Hawkins vesting was accelerated on certain outstanding options and she was entitled to receive a severance payment of approximately $0.5 million. We recorded approximately $5.0 million in additional share-based compensation expense related to this acceleration of the equity awards during the year ended December 31, 2016.

In July 2016, Molly Henderson, the former Chief Financial Officer provided the Company’s Board of Directors with written notice under her Employment Agreement, dated June 5, 2015, that she would terminate her employment with the Company for “good reason” effective August 16, 2016. In connection with this event all unvested options were accelerated she received a severance payment of approximately $0.4 million, representing one year’s salary. We recorded approximately $4.5 million in additional share-based compensation expense related to the acceleration of the equity awards during the year ended December 31, 2016.

INCOME TAXES

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2016

Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]

INCOME TAXES

NOTE 9. INCOME TAXES

Net deferred tax assets (liabilities) are summarized as follows (in thousands):

	As of December 31,
	2016		2015
Deferred income tax asset:
Net operating loss carry forward	$	23,912	$	11,649
Stock-based compensation		9,562		4,064
Tax credit carryforwards		8,167		3,736
Reserves and accruals		139		146
Deferred tax asssets before valuation allowance		41,780		19,595
Less: valuation allowance		(41,402)		(19,346)
Net deferred income tax assets		378		249
Deferred tax liabilities:
Depreciation and amortization		(378)		(249)
Net Deferred tax assets (liabilities)	$	-	$	-

Reconciliation of the effective income tax rate to the U.S. statutory rate is as follows:

	Years ended December 31,
	2016			2015			2014
Federal Statutory tax rate		(34)	%		(34)	%		(34)	%
Orphan Drug & Research credits		(8)			(12)			(3)
Permanent and Other differences		4			10			6
State tax, net of federal benefit		(4)			(5)			(5)
		(42)	%		(41)	%		(36)	%
Valuation allowance		42	%		41	%		36	%
Effective tax rate		-	%		-	%		-	%

The components of income tax expense (benefit) are as follows (in thousands):

	Years ended December 31,
	2016		2015		2014
Federal:
Current	$	-	$	-	$	-
Deferred		(19,050)		(9,724)		(3,153)
State and Local
Current		-		-		-
Deferred		(3,007)		(1,887)		(1,158)
Change in Valuation Allowance		22,057		11,611		4,311
Total income tax expense (benefit)	$	-	$	-	$	-

The Company has U.S. federal net operating loss carryovers (NOLs) of approximately $62.0 million, $30.0 million and $12.0 million at December 31, 2016, 2015 and 2014, respectively, available to offset taxable income which expire beginning in 2027 through 2036. At December 31, 2016, the Company had a gross deferred tax asset of $2.8 million related to state NOLs. The state NOLs will expire if unused in years 2030 through 2036.

The Company’s utilization of net operating loss (“NOL”) carryforwards is subject to an annual limitation due to ownership changes that have occurred previously or that could occur in the future as provided in Section 382 of the Internal Revenue Code, as well as similar state provisions. Section 382 limits the utilization of NOLs when there is a greater than 50% change of ownership as determined under the regulations. Since its formation, the Company has raised capital through the issuance of capital stock and various convertible instruments which, combined with the purchasing shareholders’ subsequent disposition of these shares, has resulted in an ownership change as defined by Section 382, and also could result in an ownership change in the future upon subsequent disposition.

In assessing the realization of deferred tax assets, management considers whether it is more likely than not that some portion or all of the deferred tax assets will not be realized. The ultimate realization of deferred tax assets is dependent upon future generation for taxable income during the periods in which temporary differences representing net future deductible amounts become deductible. Management considers the scheduled reversal of deferred tax liabilities, projected future taxable income and tax planning strategies in making this assessment. After consideration of all the information available, management believes that significant uncertainty exists with respect to future realization of the deferred tax assets and has therefore established a full valuation allowance. For the years ended December 31, 2016, 2015 and 2014, the change in the valuation allowance was approximately $22.1 million, $11.6 million and $4.3 million, respectively.

The Company evaluated the provisions of ASC 740 related to the accounting for uncertainty in income taxes recognized in an enterprise’s financial statements. ASC 740 prescribes a comprehensive model for how a company should recognize, present, and disclose uncertain positions that the company has taken or expects to take in its tax return. For those benefits to be recognized, a tax position must be more-likely-than-not to be sustained upon examination by taxing authorities. Differences between tax positions taken or expected to be taken in a tax return and the net benefit recognized and measured pursuant to the interpretation are referred to as “unrecognized benefits.” A liability is recognized (or amount of net operating loss carry forward or amount of tax refundable is reduced) for unrecognized tax benefit because it represents an enterprise’s potential future obligation to the taxing authority for a tax position that was not recognized as a result of applying the provisions of ASC 740.

If applicable, interest costs related to the unrecognized tax benefits are required to be calculated and would be classified as “Other Income (Expense)” in the statement of operations. Penalties would be recognized as a component of “General and Administrative Expenses” in the statement of operations.

No interest or penalties on unpaid tax were recorded during the years ended December 31, 2016, 2015 and 2014, respectively. As of December 31, 2016 and 2015, no liability for unrecognized tax benefits was required to be reported. The Company does not expect any significant changes in its unrecognized tax benefits in the next year.

The Company files tax returns in the U.S. federal and state jurisdictions and is subject to examination by tax authorities beginning with the year ended December 31, 2013 and December 31, 2012, respectively.

LICENSES AND AGREEMENTS

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2016

Licenses And Agreements [Abstract]

Licenses And Agreements Disclosure [Text Block]

NOTE 10. LICENSES AND AGREEMENTS

National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the National Cancer Institute (NCI)

Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA)

In August 2011, the Company signed a five-year CRADA with the NCI to work with Dr. Steven Rosenberg on developing adoptive cell immunotherapies that are designed to destroy metastatic melanoma cells using a patient’s tumor infiltrating lymphocytes.

In January 2015, the Company executed an amendment (the “Amendment”) to the CRADA to include four new indications. As amended, in addition to metastatic melanoma, the CRADA included the development of TIL therapy for the treatment of patients with bladder, lung, triple-negative breast, and HPV-associated cancers.

In August 2016, the NCI and the Company entered into a second amendment to the CRADA. The principal changes effected by the second amendment included (i) extending the term of the CRADA by another five years to August 2021, and (ii) modifying the focus on the development of unmodified TIL as a stand-alone therapy or in combination with FDA-licensed products and commercially available reagents routinely used for adoptive cell therapy. The parties will continue the development of improved methods for the generation and selection of TIL with anti-tumor reactivity in metastatic melanoma, bladder, lung, breast, and HPV-associated cancers.

Pursuant to the terms of the CRADA, we are currently required to make quarterly payments of $0.5 million to the NCI for support of research activities. To the extent we license patent rights relating to a TIL-based product candidate, we will be responsible for all patent-related expenses and fees, past and future, relating to the TIL-based product candidate. In addition, we will be required to supply certain test articles, including TIL, grown and processed under cGMP conditions, suitable for use in clinical trials, where we hold the IND for such clinical trial. The extended CRADA has a five-year term expiring in August 2021. The Company or the NCI may unilaterally terminate the CRADA for any reason or for no reason at any time by providing written notice at least 60 days before the desired termination date. During the years ended December 31, 2016, 2015, and 2014, the Company recorded costs associated with the CRADA of $1.8 million, $2.0 million, and $1.0 million, respectively, as research and development expenses.

Patent License Agreement Related to the Development and Manufacture of TIL

Effective October 5, 2011, the Company entered into a Patent License Agreement with the National Institutes of Health, an agency of the United States Public Health Service within the Department of Health and Human Services (NIH), which Patent License Agreement was subsequently amended on February 9, 2015 and October 2, 2015. Pursuant to the License Agreement as amended, the NIH granted the Company licenses, including exclusive, co-exclusive, and non-exclusive licenses, to certain technologies relating to autologous tumor infiltrating lymphocyte adoptive cell therapy products for the treatment of metastatic melanoma, lung, breast, bladder and HPV-positive cancers. The Patent License Agreement requires the Company to pay royalties based on a percentage of net sales (which percentage is in the mid-single digits), a percentage of revenues from sublicensing arrangements, and lump sum benchmark royalty payments on the achievement of certain clinical and regulatory milestones for each of the various indications and other direct costs incurred by the NIH pursuant to the agreement.

Exclusive Patent License Agreement Related to TIL Selection

On February 10, 2015, the Company entered into an Exclusive Patent License Agreement with the NIH under which the Company received an exclusive license to the NIH’s rights to patent-pending technologies related to methods for improving adoptive cell therapy through more potent and efficient production of TIL from melanoma tumors by selecting for T-cell populations that express various inhibitory receptors. Unless terminated sooner, the license shall remain in effect until the last licensed patent right expires.

In consideration for the exclusive rights granted under the Exclusive Patent License Agreement, the Company agreed to pay the NIH a non-refundable upfront licensing fee in the amount of $0.8 million. The Company also agreed to pay customary royalties based on a percentage of net sales of a licensed product (which percentage is in the mid-single digits), a percentage of revenues from sublicensing arrangements, and lump sum benchmark payments upon the successful completion of clinical studies involving licensed technologies, the receipt of the first FDA approval or foreign equivalent for a licensed product or process resulting from the licensed technologies, the first commercial sale of a licensed product or process in the United States, and the first commercial sale of a licensed product or process in any foreign country. The Company will also be responsible for all costs associated with the preparation, filing, maintenance and prosecution of the patent applications and patents covered by the License. During the years ended December 31, 2016 and 2015, the Company recorded costs associated with the Exclusive Patent License Agreement of $0.4 million, and $0.4 million as research and development expenses.

H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center

Research Collaboration Agreement with Moffitt

In September 2014, we entered into a research collaboration agreement with Moffitt to jointly engage in transitional research and development of adoptive tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte cell therapy with improved anti-tumor properties and process.

In December 2016, we entered into a new three-year Sponsored Research Agreement with Moffitt. At the same time, we entered into a Clinical Grant Agreement with Moffitt to support an ongoing clinical trial at Moffitt that combines TIL therapy with Opdivo® (nivolumab) for the treatment of patients with metastatic melanoma.

Exclusive License Agreement with Moffitt

The Company entered into a license agreement with Moffitt (the “Moffitt License Agreement”), effective as of June 28, 2014, under which the Company received a world-wide license to Moffitt’s rights to patent-pending technologies related to methods for improving tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes for adoptive cell therapy. Unless earlier terminated, the term of the license extends until the earlier of the expiration of the last patent related to the licensed technology or 20 years after the effective date of the license agreement.

Pursuant to the Moffitt License Agreement, the Company paid an upfront licensing fee in the amount of $0.1 million. A patent issuance fee will also be payable under the Moffitt License Agreement, upon the issuance of the first U.S. patent covering the subject technology. In addition, the Company agreed to pay milestone license fees upon completion of specified milestones, customary royalties based on a specified percentage of net sales (which percentage is in the low single digits) and sublicensing payments, as applicable, and annual minimum royalties beginning with the first sale of products based on the licensed technologies, which minimum royalties will be credited against the percentage royalty payments otherwise payable in that year. The Company will also be responsible for all costs associated with the preparation, filing, maintenance and prosecution of the patent applications and patents covered by the Moffitt License Agreement related to the treatment of any cancers in the United States, Europe and Japan and in other countries selected that the Company and Moffitt agreed to. During the years ended December 31, 2016, 2015, and 2014, the Company recorded costs associated with agreements with Moffitt of $0.7 million, $0.7 million, and $0.4 million, respectively, as research and development expenses.

PolyBioCept, AB and Karolinska University Hospital

PolyBioCept, AB - Exclusive and Co-Exclusive License Agreement

On September 14, 2016, the Company entered into an Exclusive and Co-Exclusive License Agreement (the “PolyBioCept Agreement”) with PolyBioCept AB, a corporation organized under the laws of Sweden (“PolyBioCept”). PolyBioCept has filed two patent applications with claims related to a cytokine cocktail for use in expansion of lymphocytes. Under the PolyBioCept Agreement, the Company received the exclusive right and license to PolyBioCept’s intellectual property to develop, manufacture, market and genetically engineer tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL) produced by expansion, selection and enrichment using a cytokine cocktail. The Company also received a co-exclusive license (with PolyBioCept) to develop, manufacture and market genetically engineered TIL under the same intellectual property. The licenses are for the use in all cancers and are worldwide in scope, with the exception that the uses in melanoma are not included for certain countries of the former Soviet Union.

The Company paid PolyBioCept a total of $2.5 million as an up-front exclusive license payment. The Company will also have to make additional milestone payments to PolyBioCept under the PolyBioCept Agreement if, and when, (i) certain product development milestones are achieved, (ii) certain regulatory approvals have been obtained from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and/or the European Medicines Agency (EMA), and (iii) certain product sales targets are achieved. The milestone payments will be payable both in cash (U.S. dollars) and in shares of the Company’s common stock. If all of the foregoing product development, regulatory approval and sales milestone payments are met, the Company will have to pay PolyBioCept an additional $8.7 million and will have to issue to PolyBioCept a total 2,219,376 shares of unregistered common stock. In addition to these potential payments, the Company will reimburse PolyBioCept up to $0.2 million in expenses related to the transfer of know-how and will pay PolyBioCept $0.1 million as a clinical trials management fee. The Company also separately engaged PolyBioCept as a consultant to provide certain product development and research related services in a one-year agreement for up to $0.2 million, subject to the consent of the Karolinska Institute to the services to be performed by its employees thereunder. The PolyBioCept Agreement has an initial term of 30 years, and may be extended for additional five-year periods. The Company recognized $2.7 million in connection with this agreement in the year ended December 31, 2016 as a research and development expense. The $2.5 million up-front payment is included in the $2.7 million expensed during 2016.

Karolinska University Hospital - Clinical Trials Agreement

In connection with the execution of the PolyBioCept Agreement, the Company also (i) entered into a clinical trials agreement with the Karolinska University Hospital to conduct clinical trials in glioblastoma and pancreatic cancer at the Karolinska University Hospital, and (ii) agreed to enter into a sponsored research agreement with the Karolinska Institute for the research of the cytokine cocktail in additional indications. The Company agreed to enter into the sponsored research agreement within 90 days after the date of the PolyBioCept Agreement. Failure to do so will give PolyBioCept the right to terminate the PolyBioCept Agreement (and to return $2.2 million of the payments it received). The Company will pay the Karolinska an additional $2.6 million in connection with these other related agreements. In 2016 the Company paid Karolinska University Hospital $1.6 million under this agreement to conduct the clinical trials, the $1.6 million payment has been capitalized and will be expensed in accordance with the Company’s Research and Development Expense significant accounting practices. The Company recognized $0.1 million in connection with this agreement as a research and development expense in the year ended December 31, 2016.

Medimmune

In December 2015, the Company entered into a collaboration to conduct clinical and preclinical research in immuno-oncology with MedImmune, the global biologics research and development arm of AstraZeneca. Under the terms of the agreement, the Company will fund and conduct two Phase 2a clinical trials combining MedImmune's investigational PD-L1 inhibitor durvalumab with TIL for the treatment of patients with metastatic melanoma, and head and neck cancer. MedImmune will supply durvalumab for the clinical trials. The purpose of the studies is to establish a dosing regimen for this combination therapy and assess its safety and efficacy.

Preclinical research under the agreement will focus on identifying and evaluating therapeutically effective combinations of MedImmune's checkpoint antibodies, using TIL as an in vitro model of the tumor microenvironment. The research will be funded by MedImmune and conducted by Lion.

WuXi Apptech, Inc. (“WuXi”)

In November 2016, the Company entered into that a three-year manufacturing and services agreement with WuXi pursuant to which WuXi agreed to provide manufacturing and other services. Under the agreement, the Company entered into two statements of work for two cGMP manufacturing suites to be established and operated by WuXi for Lion, one of which is expected to be capable of being used for the commercial manufacture of our products. The fee payable under the first statement of work for the use of one of the manufacturing suites during the first year of the agreement, including the fees for the necessary personnel, is $2.5 million. The second statement of work, under which WuXi agreed to establish and operate a second, dedicated facility for a late stage/commercial manufacturing cGMP suite requires Lion to pay approximately $5.85 million during the first year of the agreement. During the years ended December 31, 2016 and 2015, the Company recorded costs associated with agreements with Wuxi of $2.4 million and $0.0 million, respectively, as research and development expenses.

COMMITTMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2016

Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]

Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Text Block]

NOTE 11. COMMITTMENTSAND CONTINGENCIES

Facilities Leases

Tampa Lease

In December 2014, the Company commenced a five-year non-cancellable operating lease with the University of South Florida Research Foundation for a 5,115 square foot facility located in Tampa, Florida. The facility is part of the University of South Florida research park and is used as the Company’s research and development facilities. The Company has the option to extend the lease term of this facility for an additional five-year period on the same terms and conditions, except that the base rent for the renewal term will be increased in accordance with the applicable consumer price index.

In April 2015, the Company amended the original lease agreement to increase the rentable space to 6,043 square feet. In September 2016, the Company further increased the rentable space to 8,673 square feet. The per square foot cost and term of the lease were unchanged.

San Carlos Lease

On August 4, 2016, the Company entered into an agreement to lease 8,733 square feet in San Carlos, California. The term of the lease is 54 months subsequent to the commencement date, and total expected rental payments under the lease are expected to be $2.1 million.

New York Lease

The Company leases office space in New York for a monthly rental of approximately $18,000 a month through July 2017.

The Company recognizes rental expense on the facilities on a straight-line basis over the lease term. Differences between the straight line rent expense and rent payments are classified as deferred rent liability on the balance sheet. As of December 31, 2016, the Company's future minimum lease payments under non-cancelable operating leases are as follows (in thousands):

The minimum lease payments are as follows (in thousands):

Year	Amount
2017	$	779
2018		699
2019		700
2020		495
2021		169
	$	2,842

Rent expense for the year ended December 31, 2016, 2015, and 2014 was $0.7 million, $0.3 million, and $0.1 million, respectively.

Purchase Commitments

The Company had non-cancelable purchase obligations for approximately $9.8 million related to our contract manufacturers, and $0.0 million as of December 31, 2016 and December 31, 2015, respectively.

LEGAL PROCEEDINGS

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2016

Loss Contingency [Abstract]

LEGAL PROCEEDINGS

NOTE 12. LEGAL PROCEEDINGS

SEC Settlement. On April 23, 2014, the Company received a subpoena from the SEC that stated that the staff of the SEC was conducting an investigation then designated as “In the Matter of Galena Biopharma, Inc.” File No. HO 12346 (now known as “In the Matter of Certain Stock Promotions”) and that the subpoena was issued as part of the foregoing investigation. The Company has been informed by the staff of the SEC that the SEC’s investigation, in part, involves the conduct of the Company’s former Chief Executive Officer, Manish Singh, during the period between September 2013 and April 2014. The Company understands that, as it pertains to our former Chief Executive Officer, the investigation has focused on the failure by authors of certain articles about the Company to disclose that they were compensated by one of our former investor relations firms. The Company understands that it is the position of the SEC staff that the conduct of the former Chief Executive Officer with respect to these articles will be imputed to the Company and, as a result, that the Company is partially liable for the former Chief Executive Officer’s actions.

In order to resolve this matter, in December 2016, the Company submitted an offer of settlement to the SEC under which the Company offered to (i) consent to the entry of an order requiring the Company to cease and desist from any future violations of Sections 5(b), 17(a), and 17(b) of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 10(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and Rule 10b-5 thereunder, without admitting or denying any allegations, and (ii) pay $100,000 as a financial penalty. The proposed settlement is contingent upon reaching a final agreement with the SEC and obtaining the approval of the Commissioners of the SEC, neither of which can be assured.

Solomon Capital, LLC. On April 8, 2016, a lawsuit titled Solomon Capital, LLC, Solomon Capital 401(K) Trust, Solomon Sharbat and Shelhav Raff against Lion Biotechnologies, Inc. was filed by Solomon Capital, LLC, Solomon Capital 401(k) Trust, Solomon Sharbat and Shelhav Raff against the Company in the Supreme Court of the State of New York County of New York (index no. 651881/2016). The plaintiffs allege that, between June and November 2012 they provided to the Company $0.1 million and that they advanced and paid on our behalf an additional $0.2 million. The complaint further alleges that the Company agreed to (i) provide them with promissory notes totaling $0.2 million, plus interest, (ii) issue a total of 111,425 shares to the plaintiffs (before the 1-for-100 reverse split of our common stock effected in September 2013), and (iii) allow the plaintiffs to convert the foregoing funds into our securities in the next transaction. The plaintiffs allege that they should have been able to convert their advances and payments into shares of the Company’s common stock in the Restructuring that it effected in May 2013. Based on the foregoing, the plaintiffs allege causes for breach of contract and unjust enrichment and demand judgment against the Company in an unspecified amount exceeding $1.5 million, plus interest and attorneys’ fees.

On June 3, 2016, the Company filed an answer and counterclaims in the lawsuit. In its counterclaims, the Company alleges that the plaintiffs misrepresented their qualifications to assist it in fundraising and that they failed to disclose that they were under investigation for securities laws violations. The Company is seeking damages in an amount exceeding $0.5 million and an order rescinding any and all agreements that the plaintiffs contend entitled them to obtain stock in the Company. The Company’s investigation of the allegations made by the plaintiffs is ongoing and it intends to vigorously defend the complaint and pursue its counterclaims.

Other Matters. During the second quarter of 2016, warrants representing 128,500 shares were exercised. The 128,500 shares of common stock had previously been registered for re-sale. However, we believe that these 128,500 warrant shares were sold by the holders in open market transactions in May 2016 at a time when the registration statement was ineffective. Accordingly, those sales were not made in accordance with Sections 5 and 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act, and the purchasers of those shares may have rescission rights (if they still own the shares) or claims for damages (if they no longer own the shares). The amount of any such liability is uncertain and as such, an accrual for any potential loss has not been made. The Company believes that any claims brought against it would not result in a material impact to the Company’s financial position or results of operations. The Company has not accrued a loss for a potential claim associated with this matter as it is unable to estimate any at this time.

The Company may be involved, from time to time, in legal proceedings and claims arising in the ordinary course of its business. Such matters are subject to many uncertainties and outcomes are not predictable with assurance. The Company accrues amounts, to the extent they can be reasonably estimated, that it believes are adequate to address any liabilities related to legal proceedings and other loss contingencies that the Company believes will result in a probable loss. While there can be no assurances as to the ultimate outcome of any legal proceeding or other loss contingency involving the Company, management does not believe any pending matter will be resolved in a manner that would have a material adverse effect on the Company’s financial position, results of operations or cash flows.

- Definition

The entire disclosure for loss and gain contingencies. Describes any existing condition, situation, or set of circumstances involving uncertainty as of the balance sheet date (or prior to issuance of the financial statements) as to a probable or reasonably possible loss incurred by an entity that will ultimately be resolved when one or more future events occur or fail to occur, and typically discloses the amount of loss recorded or a range of possible loss, or an assertion that no reasonable estimate can be made.

+ References

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-Name Accounting Standards Codification
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-Section 50
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Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
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Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
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Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
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Reference 6: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
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Reference 7: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 450
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=25496072&loc=d3e14435-108349

Reference 8: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
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-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=25496072&loc=d3e14453-108349

Reference 9: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
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-Section 50
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-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=25496072&loc=d3e14615-108349

+ Details

QUARTERLY UNAUDITED RESULTS

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2016

Quarterly Financial Information Disclosure [Abstract]

Quarterly Financial Information [Text Block]

NOTE 13. QUARTERLY UNAUDITED RESULTS

The results of operations by quarter for the years ended December 31, 2016 and 2015 are as follow:

	2016								2015
	(in thousands, except per share information)
	Q1		Q2		Q3		Q4		Q1		Q2		Q3		Q4

Revenue	$	-	$	-	$	-	$	-	$	-	$	-	$	-	$	-
Net loss attributable to common stockholders	$	(6,884)	$	(11,563)	$	(68,212)	$	(15,689)	$	(5,298)	$	(6,367)	$	(7,635)	$	(8,360)
Net loss per share, basic and diluted	$	(0.14)	$	(0.23)	$	(1.15)	$	(0.25)	$	(0.14)	$	(0.14)	$	(0.16)	$	(0.17)
Weighted average shares used in computing net loss per share, basic and diluted		48,548		51,082		59,113		62,130		37,679		45,082		47,272		47,912

RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2016

NOTE 14. RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS

Sanford J. Hillsberg, one of the Company’s directors, is an attorney at TroyGould PC. TroyGould PC rendered and continues to render legal services to the Company. The Company paid TroyGould PC $0.8 million, $0.7 million and $0.3 million during the years ended December 31, 2016, 2015 and 2014, respectively. Mr. Hillsberg did not directly provide any legal services to the Company during the periods noted. As of December 31, 2016 and 2015, the Company had $0.1 million and $0.0 in liabilities owing to TroyGould PC related to legal services.

SUBSEQUENT EVENT

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2016

Subsequent Events [Abstract]

Subsequent Events [Text Block]

NOTE 15. SUBSEQUENT EVENT

In January 2017 the Company formed Lion Biotechnologies GmbH, a wholly owned subsidiary of Lion Biotechnologies, Inc., a Company domiciled in Switzerland and governed by the laws and regulations of Switzerland.

SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING PRACTICES (Policies)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2016

Accounting Policies [Abstract]

Cash and Cash Equivalents

Cash and Cash Equivalents

Short-term Investments

Short-term Investments

Property and Equipment

Property and Equipment, net

Computer equipment	2 years
Office furniture and equipment	5 years
Lab equipment	2-5 years
Leasehold improvements	Lesser of the remaining life of the asset or the lease-term

Fair value of financial instruments

Fair value of financial instruments

Cash and cash equivalents and short-term investments are carried at fair value. As of December 31, 2016 and 2015, the Company had no liabilities measured at fair value.

Loss per Share

Loss per Share

At December 31, 2016, 2015 and 2014, the following outstanding common stock equivalents have been excluded from the calculation of net loss per share because their impact would be anti-dilutive.

	As of December 31,
	2016		2015		2014
Stock options		6,233,150		2,693,237		1,857,877
Warrants		6,566,216		7,202,216		11,084,426
Series A Convertible Preferred*		847,000		847,000		2,847,000
Series B Convertible Preferred*		7,946,673		-		-
Restricted stock awards		7,084		321,252		782,500
Restricted stock units		550,000		-		-
		22,150,123		11,063,705		16,571,803

* on an as-converted basis

Fair Value Measurements

Fair Value Measurements

We do not have fair valued assets classified under Level 3.

Financial assets measured at fair value on a recurring basis are categorized in the tables below based upon the lowest level of significant input to the valuations (in thousands):

	Assets at Fair Value as of December 31, 2016
	Level 1		Level 2		Level 3		Total
Commercial paper	$	-	$	29,178	$	-	$	29,178
Corporate debt securities		-		26,578		-		26,578
US Government agency securities		-		3,997		-		3,997
Total	$	-	$	59,753	$	-	$	59,753

	Assets at Fair Value as of December 31, 2015
	Level 1		Level 2		Level 3		Total
Corporate debt securities	$	-	$	70,113	$	-	$	70,113
Total	$	-	$	70,113	$	-	$	70,113

Use of Estimates

Use of Estimates

Stock-Based Compensation

Stock-Based Compensation

The fair value of restricted stock units is based on the closing price of the Company’s common stock on the grant date.

Total stock-based compensation expense related to all of our stock-based awards was recorded on the statements of operations as follows (in thousands):

	Years Ended December 31,
	2016		2015		2014
Research and development	$	3,267	$	2,248	$	1,144
General and administrative		15,637		6,275		2,670
Total stock-based compensation expense	$	18,904	$	8,523	$	3,814

Total stock-based compensation broken down based on each individual instrument was as follows (in thousands):

	Years Ended December 31,
	2016		2015		2014
Stock option expense	$	16,453	$	6,752	$	2,559
Restricted stock award expense		989		1,771		1,255
Restricted stock unit expense		1,462		-		-
Total stock-based compensation expense	$	18,904	$	8,523	$	3,814

Research and Development

Research and Development Expenses

General and Administrative Expenses

General and Administrative Expenses

Income taxes

Income taxes

Concentrations

Concentrations

Financial instruments, which potentially subject the Company to concentrations of credit risk, consist principally of cash.

Preferred Stock

Preferred Stock

Convertible Instruments

Convertible Instruments

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

Recent Accounting Standards

Segment reporting

Segment reporting

The Company operates in one segment, focused on developing and commercializing ACT using autologous TIL for the treatment of metastatic melanoma and other solid cancers.

Subsequent Events

Subsequent Events

Reclassifications

Reclassifications

SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING PRACTICES (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2016

Accounting Policies [Abstract]

Schedule of Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share

At December 31, 2016, 2015 and 2014, the following outstanding common stock equivalents have been excluded from the calculation of net loss per share because their impact would be anti-dilutive.

	As of December 31,
	2016		2015		2014
Stock options		6,233,150		2,693,237		1,857,877
Warrants		6,566,216		7,202,216		11,084,426
Series A Convertible Preferred*		847,000		847,000		2,847,000
Series B Convertible Preferred*		7,946,673		-		-
Restricted stock awards		7,084		321,252		782,500
Restricted stock units		550,000		-		-
		22,150,123		11,063,705		16,571,803

Schedule of Assets Measured at Fair Value

Financial assets measured at fair value on a recurring basis are categorized in the tables below based upon the lowest level of significant input to the valuations (in thousands):

	Assets at Fair Value as of December 31, 2016
	Level 1		Level 2		Level 3		Total
Commercial paper	$	-	$	29,178	$	-	$	29,178
Corporate debt securities		-		26,578		-		26,578
US Government agency securities		-		3,997		-		3,997
Total	$	-	$	59,753	$	-	$	59,753

	Assets at Fair Value as of December 31, 2015
	Level 1		Level 2		Level 3		Total
Corporate debt securities	$	-	$	70,113	$	-	$	70,113
Total	$	-	$	70,113	$	-	$	70,113

Schedule of Stock-Based Compensation

Total stock-based compensation expense related to all of our stock-based awards was recorded on the statements of operations as follows (in thousands):

	Years Ended December 31,
	2016		2015		2014
Research and development	$	3,267	$	2,248	$	1,144
General and administrative		15,637		6,275		2,670
Total stock-based compensation expense	$	18,904	$	8,523	$	3,814

Schedule of Compensation Cost for Share-based Payment Arrangements, Allocation of Share-based Compensation Costs by Plan

Total stock-based compensation broken down based on each individual instrument was as follows (in thousands):

	Years Ended December 31,
	2016		2015		2014
Stock option expense	$	16,453	$	6,752	$	2,559
Restricted stock award expense		989		1,771		1,255
Restricted stock unit expense		1,462		-		-
Total stock-based compensation expense	$	18,904	$	8,523	$	3,814

CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS, AND SHORT-TERM INVESTMENTS (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2016

Cash, Cash Equivalents, and Short-term Investments [Abstract]

Schedule of Cash, Money Market Funds and Short-Term Investments

Cash and cash equivalents, and short-term investments consist of the following (in thousands):

	As of December 31,
	2016		2015
Cash - Demand deposits	$	76,071	$	13,642
Cash equivalents - money market funds		30,646		19,945
Cash and cash equivalents total	$	106,717	$	33,587

	As of December 31,
	2016		2015
Commercial paper	$	29,178	$	-
Corporate debt securities		26,578		70,113
US Government agency securities		3,997		-
Short-term investments total	$	59,753	$	70,113

Schedule of Unrealized Gains and Losses

Money market funds and short-term investments include the following securities with gross unrealized gains and losses (in thousands):

			Gross		Gross
			Unrealized		Unrealized
As of December 31, 2016	Cost		Gains		Losses		Fair Value
Money market funds	$	30,646	$	-	$	-	$	30,646
Commercial paper		29,118		60		-		29,178
Corporate debt securities		26,606		1		(29)		26,578
US Government agency securities		4,000		-		(3)		3,997
Total	$	90,370	$	61	$	(32)	$	90,399

Unrealized gains and losses are included in Accumulated other comprehensive income.

			Gross		Gross
			Unrealized		Unrealized
As of December 31, 2015	Cost		Gains		Losses		Fair Value
Money market funds	$	19,945	$	-	$	-	$	19,945
Corporate debt securities		70,065		48		-		70,113
Total	$	90,010	$	48	$	-	$	90,058

Schedule of Contractual Maturities

As of December 31, 2016, the contractual maturities of our short-term investments were (in thousands):

		Amortized Cost			Estimated Fair Value
Less than one year		$	59,724		$	59,753

BALANCE SHEET COMPONENTS (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2016

Property, Plant and Equipment [Abstract]

Schedule of Property, Plant and Equipment

Property and equipment, net consists of the following (in thousands):

	As of December 31,
	2016		2015
Lab equipment	$	2,405	$	1,703
Leasehold improvements		1,381		853
Computer equipment		245		85
Office furniture and equipment		148		138
Construction in progress		276		-
Total Property and equipment, cost		4,455		2,779
Less: Accumulated depreciation and amortization		(2,081)		(1,103)
Property and equipment, net	$	2,374	$	1,676

Schedule of Accrued Liabilities

Accrued liabilities consist of the following (in thousands):

	As of December 31,
	2016		2015
Accrued payroll and employee related expenses	$	1,581	$	31
Legal and related services		927		91
Clinical related		614		89
Manufacturing related		437		290
Deferred rent		422		24
Accrued other		124		147
	$	4,105	$	672

STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2016

Stockholders' Equity Note [Abstract]

Schedule of Stockholders' Equity Note, Warrants or Rights [Table Text Block]

A summary of the status of stock warrants at December 31, 2016, and the changes during the three years then ended, is presented in the following table:

					Weighted
			Weighted		Average		Aggregate
	Shares		Average		Remaining		Intrinsic
	Under		Exercise		Contractual		Value
	Warrants		Price		Life		(in thousands)
Outstanding at January 1, 2014		12,373,156	$	2.51
Issued		-		-
Exercised		(1,288,730)		2.50
Expired/Cancelled		-		-
Outstanding at December 31, 2014		11,084,426	$	2.51
Issued		-		-
Exercised		(3,882,210)		2.50
Expired/Cancelled		-		-
Outstanding at December 31, 2015		7,202,216	$	2.51
Issued		-		-
Exercised		(592,132)		2.50
Expired/Cancelled		(43,868)		2.50
Outstanding at December 31, 2016		6,566,216	$	2.51		1.8 years	$	29,220

- Definition

Tabular disclosure of warrants or rights issued. Warrants and rights outstanding are derivative securities that give the holder the right to purchase securities (usually equity) from the issuer at a specific price within a certain time frame. Warrants are often included in a new debt issue to entice investors by a higher return potential. The main difference between warrants and call options is that warrants are issued and guaranteed by the company, whereas options are exchange instruments and are not issued by the company. Also, the lifetime of a warrant is often measured in years, while the lifetime of a typical option is measured in months. Disclose the title of issue of securities called for by warrants and rights outstanding, the aggregate amount of securities called for by warrants and rights outstanding, the date from which the warrants or rights are exercisable, and the price at which the warrant or right is exercisable.

+ References + Details

STOCK BASED COMPENSATION (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2016

Disclosure of Compensation Related Costs, Share-based Payments [Abstract]

Schedule of Status of Stock Options

A summary of the status of stock options at December 31, 2016, and the changes during the three years then ended, is presented in the following table:

					Weighted
			Weighted		Average		Aggregate
	Number		Average		Remaining		Intrinsic
	of		Exercise		Contractual		Value
	Options		Price		Life		(in thousands)
Outstanding at January 1, 2014		278,750	$	23.10
Granted		1,604,127		6.58
Exercised		-		-
Expired/Forfeited		(25,000)		125.00
Outstanding at December 31, 2014		1,857,877	$	7.31
Granted		1,171,984		8.12
Exercised		(42,387)		-
Expired/Forfeited		(294,237)		2.88
Outstanding at December 31, 2015		2,693,237	$	8.12
Granted		4,407,983		6.86
Exercised		(100,480)		6.23
Expired/Forfeited		(767,590)		8.12
Outstanding at December 31, 2016		6,233,150	$	7.24		7.3 years	$	3,719
Vested and expected to vest at December 31, 2016		6,122,663	$	7.28
Exercisable at December 31, 2016		2,496,695	$	7.35		4.1 years	$	1,839
Exercisable at December 31, 2015		1,099,043	$	8.38		6.9 years	$	1,487

Schedule of Share-based Payment Award, Stock Options, Valuation Assumptions

The following table summarizes the assumptions relating to options granted pursuant to our equity incentive plans for the years ended December 31, 2016, 2015 and 2014:

	Years Ended December 31,
	2016	2015	2014
Expected dividend yield	0%	0%	0%
Risk-free interest rate	2.16 % - 1.18%	1.56%	3.00% - 2.00%
Expected term (in years)	6.50 - 5.07	6.00	7.0 - 5.0
Expected volatility	213.60% - 189.40%	218.00% - 207.00%	236.00% - 218.00%

Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Vested and Expected to Vest, Outstanding and Exercisable

A summary of outstanding, exercisable and vested stock options as of December 31, 2016 is as follows (in thousands, except per share amounts):

	Options Outstanding								Exercisable
			Weighted								Weighted
			Average		Weighted						Average		Weighted
	Number of		Remaining Contractual		Average Exercise		Aggregate		Number of		Remaining Contractual		Average Exercise		Aggregate
Range of Exercise Prices	Shares		Life		Price Per Share		Intrinsic Value		Shares		Life		Price Per Share		Intrinsic Value
$3.13 - $4.94		246,500		8.53	$	4.49	$			21,500		1.14	$	3.97
$5.05 - $5.87		1,875,945		6.11		5.52				903,445		2.67		5.43
$6.10 - $6.70		660,009		4.01		6.3				622,007		3.73		6.3
$7.00 - $7.61		2,016,946		8.96		7.51				353,307		5.2		7.34
$8.02 - $11.05		1,424,750		8.03		9.46				587,436		6.03		10.12
$85.61 - $117		9,000		4.72		99.12				9,000		4.72		99.12
		6,233,150		7.34	$	7.24	$	3,719		2,496,695		4.08	$	7.35	$	1,839

Schedule of Nonvested Restricted Stock Units Activity

The following table summarizes restricted common stock awards activity:

			Weighted Average
	Number		Grant Date
	of Shares		Fair Value
Non-vested shares, January 1, 2014		-	$	-
Granted		782,500		7.04
Vested		-		-
Forfeited		-		-
Non-vested shares, December 31, 2014		782,500	$	7.04
Granted		15,000		8.44
Vested		(284,748)		4.31
Forfeited		(191,500)		6.81
Non-vested shares, December 31, 2015		321,252	$	6.96
Granted		-		-
Vested		(274,167)		6.90
Forfeited		(40,001)		7.02
Non-vested shares, December 31, 2016		7,084	$	6.48

INCOME TAXES (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2016

Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]

Schedule of Deferred Tax Assets and Liabilities

Net deferred tax assets (liabilities) are summarized as follows (in thousands):

	As of December 31,
	2016		2015
Deferred income tax asset:
Net operating loss carry forward	$	23,912	$	11,649
Stock-based compensation		9,562		4,064
Tax credit carryforwards		8,167		3,736
Reserves and accruals		139		146
Deferred tax asssets before valuation allowance		41,780		19,595
Less: valuation allowance		(41,402)		(19,346)
Net deferred income tax assets		378		249
Deferred tax liabilities:
Depreciation and amortization		(378)		(249)
Net Deferred tax assets (liabilities)	$	-	$	-

Schedule of Effective Income Tax Rate Reconciliation

Reconciliation of the effective income tax rate to the U.S. statutory rate is as follows:

	Years ended December 31,
	2016			2015			2014
Federal Statutory tax rate		(34)	%		(34)	%		(34)	%
Orphan Drug & Research credits		(8)			(12)			(3)
Permanent and Other differences		4			10			6
State tax, net of federal benefit		(4)			(5)			(5)
		(42)	%		(41)	%		(36)	%
Valuation allowance		42	%		41	%		36	%
Effective tax rate		-	%		-	%		-	%

Schedule of Components of Income Tax Expense (Benefit) [Table Text Block]

The components of income tax expense (benefit) are as follows (in thousands):

	Years ended December 31,
	2016		2015		2014
Federal:
Current	$	-	$	-	$	-
Deferred		(19,050)		(9,724)		(3,153)
State and Local
Current		-		-		-
Deferred		(3,007)		(1,887)		(1,158)
Change in Valuation Allowance		22,057		11,611		4,311
Total income tax expense (benefit)	$	-	$	-	$	-

COMMITTMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2016

Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]

Schedule of Future Minimum Rental Payments for Operating Leases

The minimum lease payments are as follows (in thousands):

Year	Amount
2017	$	779
2018		699
2019		700
2020		495
2021		169
	$	2,842

QUARTERLY UNAUDITED RESULTS (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2016

Quarterly Financial Information Disclosure [Abstract]

Quarterly Financial Information

The results of operations by quarter for the years ended December 31, 2016 and 2015 are as follow:

	2016								2015
	(in thousands, except per share information)
	Q1		Q2		Q3		Q4		Q1		Q2		Q3		Q4

Revenue	$	-	$	-	$	-	$	-	$	-	$	-	$	-	$	-
Net loss attributable to common stockholders	$	(6,884)	$	(11,563)	$	(68,212)	$	(15,689)	$	(5,298)	$	(6,367)	$	(7,635)	$	(8,360)
Net loss per share, basic and diluted	$	(0.14)	$	(0.23)	$	(1.15)	$	(0.25)	$	(0.14)	$	(0.14)	$	(0.16)	$	(0.17)
Weighted average shares used in computing net loss per share, basic and diluted		48,548		51,082		59,113		62,130		37,679		45,082		47,272		47,912

GENERAL ORGANIZATION, BUSINESS AND LIQUIDITY (Details Textual) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2016	Sep. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2016	Mar. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Sep. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2015	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Net Income (Loss) Attributable to Parent, Total	$ (15,689)	$ (68,212)	$ (11,563)	$ (6,884)	$ (8,360)	$ (7,635)	$ (6,367)	$ (5,298)	$ (52,894)	$ (27,660)	$ (12,035)
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Operating Activities, Continuing Operations, Total									(32,668)	$ (18,381)	$ (8,633)
Cash, Cash Equivalents, and Short-term Investments, Total	$ 166,500								$ 166,500

- Definition

Cash includes currency on hand as well as demand deposits with banks or financial institutions. It also includes other kinds of accounts that have the general characteristics of demand deposits in that the customer may deposit additional funds at any time and effectively may withdraw funds at any time without prior notice or penalty. Cash equivalents, excluding items classified as marketable securities, include short-term, highly liquid Investments that are both readily convertible to known amounts of cash, and so near their maturity that they present minimal risk of changes in value because of changes in interest rates. Generally, only investments with original maturities of three months or less qualify under that definition. Original maturity means original maturity to the entity holding the investment. For example, both a three-month US Treasury bill and a three-year Treasury note purchased three months from maturity qualify as cash equivalents. However, a Treasury note purchased three years ago does not become a cash equivalent when its remaining maturity is three months. Short-term investments, exclusive of cash equivalents, generally consist of marketable securities intended to be sold within one year (or the normal operating cycle if longer) and may include trading securities, available-for-sale securities, or held-to-maturity securities (if maturing within one year), as applicable.

+ References + Details

SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING PRACTICES (Details) - shares

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2016

Dec. 31, 2015

Dec. 31, 2014

Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share, Amount

22,150,123

11,063,705

16,571,803

Employee Stock Option [Member]

Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share, Amount

6,233,150

2,693,237

1,857,877

Warrant [Member]

Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share, Amount

6,566,216

7,202,216

11,084,426

Restricted Stock Awards [Member]

Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share, Amount

7,084

321,252

782,500

Restricted Stock [Member]

Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share, Amount

550,000

Series A Preferred Stock [Member]

Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share, Amount

^[1]

847,000

2,847,000

Series B Preferred Stock [Member]

Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share, Amount

^[1]

7,946,673

[1]	on an as-converted basis

SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING PRACTICES (Details 1) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Assets, Fair Value Disclosure, Total	$ 59,753	$ 70,113
Corporate Debt Securities [Member]
Assets, Fair Value Disclosure, Total	26,578	70,113
Commercial Paper [Member]
Assets, Fair Value Disclosure, Total	29,178
US Government agency securities [Member]
Assets, Fair Value Disclosure, Total	3,997
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1 [Member]
Assets, Fair Value Disclosure, Total	0	0
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1 [Member] \| Corporate Debt Securities [Member]
Assets, Fair Value Disclosure, Total	0	0
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1 [Member] \| Commercial Paper [Member]
Assets, Fair Value Disclosure, Total	0
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1 [Member] \| US Government agency securities [Member]
Assets, Fair Value Disclosure, Total	0
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member]
Assets, Fair Value Disclosure, Total	59,753	70,113
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member] \| Corporate Debt Securities [Member]
Assets, Fair Value Disclosure, Total	26,578	70,113
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member] \| Commercial Paper [Member]
Assets, Fair Value Disclosure, Total	29,178
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member] \| US Government agency securities [Member]
Assets, Fair Value Disclosure, Total	3,997
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member]
Assets, Fair Value Disclosure, Total	0	0
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member] \| Corporate Debt Securities [Member]
Assets, Fair Value Disclosure, Total	0	$ 0
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member] \| Commercial Paper [Member]
Assets, Fair Value Disclosure, Total	0
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member] \| US Government agency securities [Member]
Assets, Fair Value Disclosure, Total	$ 0

SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING PRACTICES (Details 2) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Compensation Cost, Total	$ 18,904	$ 8,523	$ 3,814
Research and Development Expense [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Compensation Cost, Total	3,267	2,248	1,144
General and Administrative Expense [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Compensation Cost, Total	$ 15,637	$ 6,275	$ 2,670

SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING PRACTICES (Details 3) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Compensation Cost, Total	$ 18,904	$ 8,523	$ 3,814
Employee Stock Option [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Compensation Cost, Total	16,453	6,752	2,559
Restricted Stock Awards [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Compensation Cost, Total	989	1,771	1,255
Restricted Stock [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Compensation Cost, Total	$ 1,462	$ 0	$ 0

SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING PRACTICES (Details Textual)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2016
Computer Equipment [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment, Useful Life	2 years
Office Furniture and Equipment [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment, Useful Life	5 years
Leasehold Improvements [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment, Estimated Useful Lives	Lesser of the remaining life of the asset or the lease-term
Maximum [Member] \| Lab Equipment [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment, Useful Life	5 years
Minimum [Member] \| Lab Equipment [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment, Useful Life	2 years

CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS, AND SHORT-TERM INVESTMENTS (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Cash and Cash Equivalents, at Carrying Value	$ 106,717	$ 33,587	$ 44,909	$ 19,672
Available-for-sale Securities	59,753	70,113
Commercial Paper [Member]
Available-for-sale Securities	29,178	0
Corporate Debt Securities [Member]
Available-for-sale Securities	26,578	70,113
US Government Debt Securities [Member]
Available-for-sale Securities	3,997	0
Demand Deposits [Member]
Cash and Cash Equivalents, at Carrying Value	76,071	13,642
Money Market Funds [Member]
Cash and Cash Equivalents, at Carrying Value	$ 30,646	$ 19,945

CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS, AND SHORT-TERM INVESTMENTS (Details 1) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Amortized Cost	$ 90,370	$ 90,010
Gross Unrealized Gains	61	48
Gross Unrealized Losses	(32)	0
Fair Value	90,399	90,058
Corporate Debt Securities [Member]
Amortized Cost	26,606	70,065
Gross Unrealized Gains	1	48
Gross Unrealized Losses	(29)	0
Fair Value	26,578	70,113
Commercial Paper [Member]
Amortized Cost	29,118
Gross Unrealized Gains	60
Gross Unrealized Losses	0
Fair Value	29,178
US Government Debt Securities [Member]
Amortized Cost	4,000
Gross Unrealized Gains	0
Gross Unrealized Losses	(3)
Fair Value	3,997
Money Market Funds [Member]
Amortized Cost	30,646	19,945
Gross Unrealized Gains	0	0
Gross Unrealized Losses	0	0
Fair Value	$ 30,646	$ 19,945

CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS, AND SHORT-TERM INVESTMENTS (Details 2) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Available-for-sale Securities, Amortized Cost Basis	$ 59,724
Available-for-sale Securities	$ 59,753	$ 70,113

BALANCE SHEET COMPONENTS (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Total Property and equipment, cost	$ 4,455	$ 2,779
Less: Accumulated depreciation and amortization	(2,081)	(1,103)
Property and equipment, net	2,374	1,676
Lab Equipment [Member]
Total Property and equipment, cost	2,405	1,703
Computer Equipment [Member]
Total Property and equipment, cost	245	85
Office Furniture and Equipment [Member]
Total Property and equipment, cost	148	138
Leasehold Improvements [Member]
Total Property and equipment, cost	1,381	853
Construction in Progress [Member]
Total Property and equipment, cost	$ 276	$ 0

BALANCE SHEET COMPONENTS (Details 1) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Accrued payroll and employee related expenses	$ 1,581	$ 31
Legal and related services	927	91
Clinical related	614	89
Manufacturing related	437	290
Deferred rent	422	24
Accrued other	124	147
Accrued Liabilities, Current	$ 4,105	$ 672

BALANCE SHEET COMPONENTS (Details Textual) - USD ($) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Depreciation, Total	$ 1.0	$ 1.0	$ 0.1

STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Number of Options
Outstanding, ending balance	6,233,150
Weighted Average Exercise Price
Outstanding, ending balance	$ 7.24
Weighted Average Remaining Contractual Life
Outstanding	7 years 4 months 2 days
Aggregate Intrinsic Value
Outstanding, ending balance	$ 3,719
Warrant [Member]
Number of Options
Outstanding, beginning balance	7,202,216	11,084,426	12,373,156
Issued	0	0	0
Exercised	(592,132)	(3,882,210)	(1,288,730)
Expired/Forfeited	(43,868)	0	0
Outstanding, ending balance	6,566,216	7,202,216	11,084,426
Weighted Average Exercise Price
Outstanding, beginning balance	$ 2.51	$ 2.51	$ 2.51
Granted	0	0	0
Exercised	2.50	2.50	2.50
Expired/Cancelled	2.50	0	0
Outstanding, ending balance	$ 2.51	$ 2.51	$ 2.51
Weighted Average Remaining Contractual Life
Outstanding	1 year 9 months 18 days
Aggregate Intrinsic Value
Outstanding, ending balance	$ 29,220

STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY (Details Textual) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands		1 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Jun. 07, 2016	Jun. 30, 2016	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Class of Stock [Line Items]
Other Preferred Stock Dividends and Adjustments			$ 49,454	$ 0	$ 0
Common Stock [Member]
Class of Stock [Line Items]
Stock Issued During Period, Shares, New Issues				9,200,000
Conversion of Stock, Shares Converted			3,421,960
Common Stock [Member] \| Issuance Of Common Stock Upon Conversion Of Preferred Stock [Member]
Class of Stock [Line Items]
Conversion of Stock, Shares Issued				4,000	11,306
Conversion of Stock, Shares Converted				2,000,000	5,653,000
2016 Private Placement [Member]
Class of Stock [Line Items]
Stock Issued During Period, Shares, New Issues	9,684,000
Proceeds from Issuance of Private Placement		$ 100,000
Proceeds from Issuance or Sale of Equity			$ 95,700
Series A Convertible Preferred Stock [Member]
Class of Stock [Line Items]
Conversion of Stock, Shares Issued			500
Preferred Stock, Shares Authorized			17,000
Series A Convertible Preferred Stock [Member] \| Private Placement [Member]
Class of Stock [Line Items]
Stock Issued During Period, Shares, New Issues			17,000
Sale of Stock, Price Per Share			$ 2.00
Preferred Stock, Par or Stated Value Per Share			$ 1,000
Series B Preferred Stock [Member]
Class of Stock [Line Items]
Conversion of Stock, Shares Issued			3,421,960
Preferred Stock, Shares Authorized		11,500,000	11,500,000	11,500,000
Preferred Stock, Par or Stated Value Per Share		$ 4.75	$ 0.001	$ 0.001
Convertible Price Per Shares		$ 4.75
Preferred Stock, Shares Outstanding			7,946,673	0
Series B Preferred Stock [Member] \| 2016 Private Placement [Member]
Class of Stock [Line Items]
Convertible Price Per Shares	$ 4.75
Sock Issued During Period Preferred Stock Shares	11,368,633
Shares Issued, Price Per Share	$ 4.75
Other Preferred Stock Dividends and Adjustments			$ 49,500
Series B Convertible Preferred Stock [Member]
Class of Stock [Line Items]
Preferred Stock, Shares Authorized			11,500,000
Blank Check [Member]
Class of Stock [Line Items]
Preferred Stock, Shares Authorized			50,000,000

STOCK BASED COMPENSATION (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Number of Options
Outstanding, ending balance	6,233,150
Exercisable	2,496,695
Weighted Average Exercise Price
Outstanding, ending balance	$ 7.24
Exercisable	$ 7.35
Weighted Average Remaining Contractual Life
Outstanding	7 years 4 months 2 days
Exercisable	4 years 29 days
Aggregate Intrinsic Value
Outstanding, ending balance	$ 3,719
Exercisable	$ 1,839
Employee Stock Option [Member]
Number of Options
Outstanding, beginning balance	2,693,237	1,857,877	278,750
Granted	4,407,983	1,171,984	1,604,127
Exercised	(100,480)	(42,387)	0
Expired/Forfeited	(767,590)	(294,237)	(25,000)
Outstanding, ending balance	6,233,150	2,693,237	1,857,877
Vested and Expected to Vest	6,122,663
Exercisable	2,496,695	1,099,043
Weighted Average Exercise Price
Outstanding, beginning balance	$ 8.12	$ 7.31	$ 23.1
Granted	6.86	8.12	6.58
Exercised	6.23	0	0
Expired/Forfeited	8.12	2.88	125
Outstanding, ending balance	7.24	8.12	$ 7.31
Vested and Expected to Vest	7.28
Exercisable	$ 7.35	$ 8.38
Weighted Average Remaining Contractual Life
Outstanding	7 years 3 months 18 days
Exercisable	4 years 1 month 6 days	6 years 10 months 24 days
Aggregate Intrinsic Value
Outstanding, ending balance	$ 3,719
Exercisable	$ 1,839	$ 1,487

STOCK BASED COMPENSATION (Details 1)	12 Months Ended
STOCK BASED COMPENSATION (Details 1)	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Expected dividend yield	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
Risk-free interest rate		1.56%
Expected term (in years)		6 years
Maximum [Member]
Risk-free interest rate	2.16%		3.00%
Expected term (in years)	6 years 6 months		7 years
Expected volatility	213.60%	218.00%	236.00%
Minimum [Member]
Risk-free interest rate	1.18%		2.00%
Expected term (in years)	5 years 25 days		5 years
Expected volatility	189.40%	207.00%	218.00%

STOCK BASED COMPENSATION (Details 2) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($) $ / shares shares
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Outstanding, Number, Beginning Balance \| shares	6,233,150
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Outstanding, Weighted Average Remaining Contractual Term	7 years 4 months 2 days
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Outstanding, Weighted Average Exercise Price, Beginning Balance \| $ / shares	$ 7.24
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Vested and Expected to Vest, Outstanding, Aggregate Intrinsic Value \| $	$ 3,719
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Exercisable, Number \| shares	2,496,695
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Exercisable, Weighted Average Remaining Contractual Term	4 years 29 days
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Exercisable, Weighted Average Exercise Price \| $ / shares	$ 7.35
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Vested and Expected to Vest, Exercisable, Aggregate Intrinsic Value \| $	$ 1,839
Range Of Exercise Prices $3.13 - $4.94 [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Outstanding, Number, Beginning Balance \| shares	246,500
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Outstanding, Weighted Average Remaining Contractual Term	8 years 6 months 11 days
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Outstanding, Weighted Average Exercise Price, Beginning Balance \| $ / shares	$ 4.49
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Exercisable, Number \| shares	21,500
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Exercisable, Weighted Average Remaining Contractual Term	1 year 1 month 20 days
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Exercisable, Weighted Average Exercise Price \| $ / shares	$ 3.97
Range Of Exercise Prices $5.05 - $5.87 [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Outstanding, Number, Beginning Balance \| shares	1,875,945
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Outstanding, Weighted Average Remaining Contractual Term	6 years 1 month 10 days
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Outstanding, Weighted Average Exercise Price, Beginning Balance \| $ / shares	$ 5.52
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Exercisable, Number \| shares	903,445
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Exercisable, Weighted Average Remaining Contractual Term	2 years 8 months 1 day
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Exercisable, Weighted Average Exercise Price \| $ / shares	$ 5.43
Range Of Exercise Prices $6.10 - $6.70 [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Outstanding, Number, Beginning Balance \| shares	660,009
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Outstanding, Weighted Average Remaining Contractual Term	4 years 4 days
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Outstanding, Weighted Average Exercise Price, Beginning Balance \| $ / shares	$ 6.3
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Exercisable, Number \| shares	622,007
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Exercisable, Weighted Average Remaining Contractual Term	3 years 8 months 23 days
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Exercisable, Weighted Average Exercise Price \| $ / shares	$ 6.3
Range Of Exercise Prices $7.00 - $7.61 [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Outstanding, Number, Beginning Balance \| shares	2,016,946
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Outstanding, Weighted Average Remaining Contractual Term	8 years 11 months 16 days
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Outstanding, Weighted Average Exercise Price, Beginning Balance \| $ / shares	$ 7.51
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Exercisable, Number \| shares	353,307
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Exercisable, Weighted Average Remaining Contractual Term	5 years 2 months 12 days
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Exercisable, Weighted Average Exercise Price \| $ / shares	$ 7.34
Range Of Exercise Prices $8.02 - $11.05 [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Outstanding, Number, Beginning Balance \| shares	1,424,750
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Outstanding, Weighted Average Remaining Contractual Term	8 years 11 days
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Outstanding, Weighted Average Exercise Price, Beginning Balance \| $ / shares	$ 9.46
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Exercisable, Number \| shares	587,436
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Exercisable, Weighted Average Remaining Contractual Term	6 years 11 days
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Exercisable, Weighted Average Exercise Price \| $ / shares	$ 10.12
Range Of Exercise Prices $85.61 - $117 [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Outstanding, Number, Beginning Balance \| shares	9,000
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Outstanding, Weighted Average Remaining Contractual Term	4 years 8 months 19 days
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Outstanding, Weighted Average Exercise Price, Beginning Balance \| $ / shares	$ 99.12
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Exercisable, Number \| shares	9,000
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Exercisable, Weighted Average Remaining Contractual Term	4 years 8 months 19 days
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Exercisable, Weighted Average Exercise Price \| $ / shares	$ 99.12

STOCK BASED COMPENSATION (Details 3) - $ / shares	12 Months Ended
STOCK BASED COMPENSATION (Details 3) - $ / shares	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Number of Shares
Non-vested shares, Beginning Balance	321,252	782,500	0
Granted	0	15,000	782,500
Vested	(274,167)	(284,748)	0
Forfeited	(40,001)	(191,500)	0
Non-vested shares, Ending Balance	7,084	321,252	782,500
Weighted Average Grant Date Fair Value
Weighted Average Grant Date Fair Value, Beginning Balance	$ 6.96	$ 7.04	$ 0
Granted	0	8.44	7.04
Vested	6.90	4.31	0
Forfeited	7.02	6.81	0
Weighted Average Grant Date Fair Value, Ending Balance	$ 6.48	$ 6.96	$ 7.04

STOCK BASED COMPENSATION (Details Textual) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands	1 Months Ended			12 Months Ended
	Aug. 16, 2016	Jun. 30, 2016	Apr. 10, 2015	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Nov. 30, 2014
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Allocated Share-based Compensation Expense				$ 1,000	$ 1,800	$ 1,300
Employee Service Share-based Compensation, Nonvested Awards, Compensation Cost Not yet Recognized, Total				$ 22,500
Employee Service Share-based Compensation, Nonvested Awards, Compensation Cost Not yet Recognized, Period for Recognition				1 year 10 months 24 days
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Exercises in Period, Intrinsic Value				$ 200	0	0
Share-based Compensation				$ 18,904	$ 8,523	$ 3,814
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Equity Instruments Other than Options, Grants in Period				0	15,000	782,500
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Equity Instruments Other than Options, Grants in Period, Weighted Average Grant Date Fair Value				$ 0	$ 8.44	$ 7.04
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Equity Instruments Other than Options, Vested in Period				274,167	284,748	0
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Grants in Period, Weighted Average Grant Date Fair Value				$ 6.78	$ 8.77	$ 6.66
Restricted Common Stock [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Employee Service Share-based Compensation, Nonvested Awards, Compensation Cost Not yet Recognized, Total				$ 0
Employee Service Share-based Compensation, Nonvested Awards, Compensation Cost Not yet Recognized, Period for Recognition				7 months 10 days
Restricted Stock [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Allocated Share-based Compensation Expense				$ 1,500
Employee Service Share-based Compensation, Nonvested Awards, Compensation Cost Not yet Recognized, Total				$ 1,700
Employee Service Share-based Compensation, Nonvested Awards, Compensation Cost Not yet Recognized, Period for Recognition				1 year 9 months 18 days
Restricted Stock [Member] \| Chief Executive Officer [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Equity Instruments Other than Options, Grants in Period		550,000
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Equity Instruments Other than Options, Grants in Period, Weighted Average Grant Date Fair Value		$ 5.87
First Anniversary [Member] \| Restricted Stock [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Equity Instruments Other than Options, Vested in Period		137,500
Satisfaction Of Clinical Trial Milestones [Member] \| Restricted Stock [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Equity Instruments Other than Options, Vested in Period		275,000
Equal Monthly Installments [Member] \| Restricted Stock [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Equity Instruments Other than Options, Vested in Period		137,500
2014 [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Number of Shares Available for Grant				3,287,743
2014 Equity Incentive Plan [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Number of Shares Authorized			4,000,000				2,350,000
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Number of Additional Shares Authorized	5,000,000		1,650,000
2014 Equity Incentive Plan [Member] \| Maximum [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Number of Shares Authorized	9,000,000
2014 Equity Incentive Plan [Member] \| Minimum [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Number of Shares Authorized	4,000,000

EMPLOYEE BENEFIT PLAN (Details Textual) - USD ($) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Defined Contribution Plan, Cost Recognized	$ 0.1	$ 0.0	$ 0.0

SEPARATION AGREEMENTS (Details Textual) - USD ($) $ in Millions	1 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	Jul. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2016	Dec. 31, 2016
Dr. Elma Hawkins [Member]
Severance Costs		$ 0.5
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award Accelerated Compensation Cost			$ 5.0
Molly Henderson [Member]
Severance Costs	$ 0.4
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award Accelerated Compensation Cost			$ 4.5

INCOME TAXES (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Deferred income tax asset:
Net operating loss carry forward	$ 23,912	$ 11,649
Stock-based compensation	9,562	4,064
Tax credit carryforwards	8,167	3,736
Reserves and accruals	139	146
Deferred tax asssets before valuation allowance	41,780	19,595
Less: valuation allowance	(41,402)	(19,346)
Net deferred income tax assets	378	249
Deferred tax liabilities:
Depreciation and amortization	(378)	(249)
Net Deferred tax assets (liabilities)	$ 0	$ 0

INCOME TAXES (Details 1)	12 Months Ended
INCOME TAXES (Details 1)	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Federal Statutory tax rate	(34.00%)	(34.00%)	(34.00%)
Orphan Drug & Research credits	(8.00%)	(12.00%)	(3.00%)
Permanent and Other differences	4.00%	10.00%	6.00%
State tax, net of federal benefit	(4.00%)	(5.00%)	(5.00%)
Effective Income Tax Rate Reconciliation Expected Rate Total	(42.00%)	(41.00%)	(36.00%)
Valuation allowance	42.00%	41.00%	36.00%
Effective tax rate	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%

INCOME TAXES (Details 2) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
INCOME TAXES (Details 2) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Federal:
Current	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0
Deferred	(19,050)	(9,724)	(3,153)
State and Local
Current	0	0	0
Deferred	(3,007)	(1,887)	(1,158)
Change in Valuation Allowance	22,057	11,611	4,311
Total income tax expense (benefit)	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0

INCOME TAXES (Details Textual) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
INCOME TAXES (Details Textual) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Income Tax Contingency [Line Items]
Operating Loss Carryforwards	$ 62,000	$ 30,000	$ 12,000
Valuation Allowance, Deferred Tax Asset, Increase (Decrease), Amount	22,100	11,600	$ 4,300
Deferred Tax Assets, Operating Loss Carryforwards, Total	$ 23,912	$ 11,649
Operating Loss Carryforwards, Commencement Year	2027
Operating Loss Carryforwards, Expiration Year	2036
State and Local Jurisdiction [Member]
Income Tax Contingency [Line Items]
Deferred Tax Assets, Operating Loss Carryforwards, Total	$ 2,800

LICENSES AND AGREEMENTS (Details Textual) - USD ($) $ in Thousands, shares in Millions		1 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Sep. 14, 2016	Nov. 30, 2016	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Research and Development Expense, Total			$ 28,037	$ 15,470	$ 3,849
KarolinskaUniversityHospital [Member]
Research and Development Expense, Total			100
Payments For Clinical Trials Agreement			1,600
Repayments To Be Made For Termination Of Licence Agreement	$ 2,200
Payments To Be Made For Other Related Agreements	2,600
National Cancer Institute [Member]
Research and Development Expense, Total			500
Exclusive Patent License Agreement [Member]
Research and Development Expense, Total			400	400
Payments For Upfront Licensing Fee			800
Moffitt License Agreement [Member]
Research and Development Expense, Total			700	700	400
Payments For Upfront Licensing Fee			$ 100
Agreement Term			20 years
Cooperative Research and Development Agreement [Member]
Research and Development Expense, Total			$ 1,800	2,000	$ 1,000
Agreement Term			5 years
PolyBioCept, AB - Exclusive and Co-Exclusive License Agreement [Member]
Research and Development Expense, Total			$ 2,700
Payments For Upfront Licensing Fee			2,500
Payment For Upfront Exclusive License	2,500
Additional Milesone Payable	$ 8,700
Number Of Unregistered Common Stock To Be Issued	2,219,376
ReimbursementIn Relation To Transfer Of Knowhow	$ 200
Clinical Trials Management Fees Payable	100
Consulting Fees Receivable	$ 200
Initial Term Of Licence Agreement	30 years
WuXi Apptech, Inc - Manufacturing and Services Agreement [Member]
Research and Development Expense, Total			$ 2,400	$ 0
Agreement Term		3 years
WuXi Apptech, Inc - Manufacturing and Services Agreement [Member] \| Manufacturing Suites [Member]
Manufacturing and Services Agreement, Amount Payable		$ 2,500
WuXi Apptech, Inc - Manufacturing and Services Agreement [Member] \| Commercial Manufacturing cGMP Suite [Member]
Manufacturing and Services Agreement, Amount Payable		$ 5,850

COMMITTMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Dec. 31, 2016	Aug. 04, 2016
2017	$ 779
2018	699
2019	700
2020	495
2021	169
Total	$ 2,842	$ 2,100

COMMITTMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES (Details Textual)		12 Months Ended
COMMITTMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES (Details Textual)	Aug. 04, 2016 USD ($) ft²	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($) ft²	Sep. 30, 2016 ft²	Apr. 30, 2015 ft²
License And Commitments [Line Items]
Area of Land \| ft²	8,733
Operating Leases, Rent Expense		$ 700,000	$ 300,000	$ 100,000
Lease Expiration Term	54 months
Operating Leases, Future Minimum Payments Due	$ 2,100,000	2,842,000
Purchase Obligation		9,800,000	$ 0
Tampa Lease [Member]
License And Commitments [Line Items]
Area of Land \| ft²				5,115	8,673	6,043
New York Lease [Member]
License And Commitments [Line Items]
Operating Leases, Rent Expense, Minimum Rentals		$ 18,000

LEGAL PROCEEDINGS (Details Textual)		1 Months Ended			3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
LEGAL PROCEEDINGS (Details Textual)	Jun. 03, 2016 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2013	Nov. 30, 2012 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2012 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2016 shares	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($) shares	Apr. 08, 2016 USD ($)
Loss Contingency, Damages Sought, Value	$ 500,000
Stockholders' Equity, Reverse Stock Split		1-for-100
Common Stock Registered For Resale \| shares						128,500
Shares Sold Under Ineffective Registration \| shares						128,500
Litigation Settlement, Payments for Penalties						$ 100,000
Warrant [Member]
Number of share options or share units exercised during the current period. \| shares					128,500
Minimum [Member]
Loss Contingency, Estimate of Possible Loss							$ 1,500,000
Solomon Capital, LLC [Member]
Proceeds from Related Party Debt			$ 200,000	$ 100,000
Debt Instrument, Convertible, Number of Equity Instruments						111,425
Solomon Capital, LLC [Member] \| Commercial Paper [Member]
Debt Instrument, Face Amount						$ 200,000

QUARTERLY UNAUDITED RESULTS (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2016	Sep. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2016	Mar. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Sep. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2015	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Revenue	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0
Net loss attributable to common stockholders	$ (15,689)	$ (68,212)	$ (11,563)	$ (6,884)	$ (8,360)	$ (7,635)	$ (6,367)	$ (5,298)	$ (52,894)	$ (27,660)	$ (12,035)
Net loss per share, basic and diluted	$ (0.25)	$ (1.15)	$ (0.23)	$ (0.14)	$ (0.17)	$ (0.16)	$ (0.14)	$ (0.14)	$ (1.85)	$ (0.62)	$ (0.48)
Weighted average shares used in computing net loss per share, basic and diluted	62,130	59,113	51,082	48,548	47,912	47,272	45,082	37,679	55,268	44,410	24,986

RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS (Details Textual) - USD ($) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Payments for Legal Services	$ 0.8	$ 0.7	$ 0.3
Due to Related Parties, Current	$ 0.1	$ 0.0