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Document And Entity Information - USD ($)	12 Months Ended
Document And Entity Information - USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2017	Feb. 28, 2018	Jun. 30, 2017
Document Information [Line Items]
Document Type	10-K
Amendment Flag	false
Document Period End Date	Dec. 31, 2017
Document Fiscal Year Focus	2017
Document Fiscal Period Focus	FY
Entity Registrant Name	IOVANCE BIOTHERAPEUTICS, 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			$ 363,066,000
Trading Symbol	IOVA
Entity Common Stock, Shares Outstanding		89,445,753

Consolidated Balance Sheets - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
Current Assets
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 145,373	$ 106,717
Short-term investments	0	59,753
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	3,917	3,042
Total Current Assets	149,290	169,512
Property and equipment, net	2,450	2,374
Long-term assets	3,633	0
Total Assets	155,373	171,886
Current Liabilities
Accounts payable	1,232	863
Accrued expenses	8,660	4,105
Total Current Liabilities	9,892	4,968
Commitments and contingencies (Note 11)
Stockholders' Equity
Common stock, $0.000041666 par value; 150,000,000 shares authorized, 73,164,914 and 62,248,074 shares issued and outstanding as of December 31, 2017 and December 31, 2016, respectively	3	3
Additional paid-in capital	394,651	323,994
Accumulated other comprehensive income	0	29
Accumulated deficit	(249,180)	(157,116)
Total Stockholders’ Equity	145,481	166,918
Total Liabilities and Stockholders’ Equity	155,373	171,886
Series A Convertible Preferred stock [Member]
Stockholders' Equity
Preferred stock,Value	0	0
Total Stockholders’ Equity	0	0
Series B Convertible Preferred stock [Member]
Stockholders' Equity
Preferred stock,Value	7	8
Total Stockholders’ Equity	$ 7	$ 8

Consolidated Balance Sheets (Parenthetical) - USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
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	73,164,914	62,248,074
Common Stock, Shares, Outstanding	73,164,914	62,248,074
Series A Convertible 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 Convertible 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	7,378,241	7,946,673
Preferred Stock, Shares Outstanding	7,378,241	7,946,673
Preferred Stock, Redemption Amount	$ 35,047	$ 35,047

Consolidated Statements of Operations - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Revenues	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0
Costs and expenses
Research and development	71,615	26,941	15,470
General and administrative	21,262	26,698	12,390
Total costs and expenses	92,877	53,639	27,860
Loss from operations	(92,877)	(53,639)	(27,860)
Other income
Interest income	813	745	200
Net Loss	(92,064)	(52,894)	(27,660)
Deemed dividend related to beneficial conversion feature of convertible preferred stock	0	(49,454)	0
Net Loss Attributable to Common Stockholders	$ (92,064)	$ (102,348)	$ (27,660)
Net Loss Per Common Share, Basic and Diluted	$ (1.41)	$ (1.85)	$ (0.62)
Weighted-Average Common Shares Outstanding, Basic and Diluted	65,242	55,268	44,410

Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Loss - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Net Loss	$ (92,064)	$ (52,894)	$ (27,660)
Other comprehensive income:
Unrealized (loss) gain on short-term investments	(29)	(19)	48
Comprehensive Loss	$ (92,093)	$ (52,913)	$ (27,612)

Consolidated Statements of Stockholders' Equity - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Total	Common Stock [Member]	Additional Paid-InCapital [Member]	Accumulated other Comprehensive Income [Member]	Accumulated Deficit [Member]	Series A Convertible Preferred stock [Member]	Series B Convertible Preferred stock [Member]
Beginning Balance at Dec. 31, 2014	$ 44,845	$ 2	$ 121,405	$ 0	$ (76,562)	$ 0	$ 0
Beginning 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
Conversion of convertible preferred stock into common stock	0
Conversion of convertible preferred stock into common stock (in Shares)		2,000,000				(4,000)
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
Cancellation of restricted shares	0	$ 0
Cancellation of restricted shares (in Shares)		(340,065)
Unrealized (loss) gain 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
Conversion of convertible preferred stock into common stock	0		3				$ (3)
Conversion of convertible preferred stock into common stock (in Shares)		3,421,960					(3,421,960)
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
Cancellation of restricted shares	0	$ 0
Cancellation of restricted shares (in Shares)		(98,218)
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) gain 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
Stock-based compensation expense	11,968		11,968
Tax payments related to shares witheld for vested restricted stock awards	(1,252)	$ 0	(1,252)
Common stock issued upon exercise of warrants	662	$ 0	662
Common stock issued upon exercise of warrants (in Shares)		265,000
Common stock issued upon exercise of stock options	5,616	$ 0	5,616
Common stock issued upon exercise of stock options (in shares)		1,011,284
Conversion of convertible preferred stock into common stock	0		1				$ (1)
Conversion of convertible preferred stock into common stock (in Shares)		568,432					(568,432)
Common stock sold in public offering, net of offering costs	53,662	$ 0	53,662
Common stock sold in public offering, net of offering costs (in shares)		8,846,154
Vesting of restricted shares issued for services	0	$ 0	0
Vesting of restricted shares issued for services (in shares)		225,970
Unrealized (loss) gain on short-term investments	(29)			(29)
Net loss	(92,064)				(92,064)
Ending Balance at Dec. 31, 2017	$ 145,481	$ 3	$ 394,651	$ 0	$ (249,180)	$ 0	$ 7
Ending Balance (in Shares) at Dec. 31, 2017		73,164,914				1,694	7,378,241

Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Cash Flows From Operating Activities
Net loss	$ (92,064)	$ (52,894)	$ (27,660)
Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash used in operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization	952	978	999
Amortization of discount (premium) on investments	19	(74)	0
Stock-based compensation expense	11,968	18,904	8,523
Changes in assets and liabilities:
Prepaid expenses and other assets	(875)	(2,765)	(211)
Accounts payable	369	(250)	(290)
Accrued expenses	4,555	3,433	258
Other assets	(3,633)	0	0
Net cash used in operating activities	(78,709)	(32,668)	(18,381)
Cash Flows From Investing Activities
Purchase of short- term investments	0	(110,249)	(140,665)
Maturities of short- term investments	59,705	120,664	70,600
Purchase of property and equipment	(1,028)	(1,521)	(1,143)
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	58,677	8,894	(71,208)
Cash Flows From Financing Activities
Tax payments related to shares withheld for vested restricted stock	(1,252)	(642)	0
Proceeds from the issuance of common stock upon exercise of warrants	662	1,235	9,705
Proceeds from the issuance of common stock upon exercise of options	5,616	626	255
Proceeds from the issuance of preferred stock and common stock, net	53,662	95,685	68,307
Net cash provided by financing activities	58,688	96,904	78,267
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	38,656	73,130	(11,322)
Cash and Cash Equivalents, Beginning of Period	106,717	33,587	44,909
Cash and Cash Equivalents, End of Period	145,373	106,717	33,587
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	(29)	(19)	48
Acquisitions of property and equipment under accounts payable	0	155	0
Deemed dividend related to a beneficial conversion feature	0	49,454	0
Conversion of convertible preferred stock to common stock	$ 1	$ 3	$ 0

GENERAL ORGANIZATION, BUSINESS AND LIQUIDITY

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2017

Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]

GENERAL ORGANIZATION, BUSINESS AND LIQUIDITY

NOTE 1. GENERAL ORGANIZATION, BUSINESS AND LIQUIDITY

General Organization and Business

Iovance Biotherapeutics, Inc. (the “Company”) is a biopharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of novel cancer immunotherapy products designed to harness the power of a patient’s own immune system to eradicate cancer cells. The Company’s lead program is an adoptive cell therapy (“ACT”) utilizing tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (“TIL”), which are T cells derived from patients’ tumors, for the treatment of metastatic melanoma. The TIL are extracted from the tumor tissue, expanded in the Company’s manufacturing suites and then infused back into the patient to fight their cancer. On June 1, 2017, the Company reincorporated from Nevada to Delaware. On June 27, 2017, the Company changed its corporate name from Lion Biotechnologies, Inc. to Iovance Biotherapeutics, Inc.

Liquidity

The Company is currently engaged in the development of therapeutics to fight cancer, specifically solid tumors. The Company does not have any commercial products and has not yet generated any revenues from its business. The Company currently does not anticipate that it will generate any revenues during the 12 months from the date these financial statements are issued, from the sale or licensing of any of its product candidates. The Company has incurred a net loss of $92.1 million for the year ended December 31, 2017 and used $78.7 million of cash in its operating activities during the year ended December 31, 2017. As of December 31, 2017, the Company had $145.4 million of cash and cash equivalents. In January 2018, the Company announced the closing of its underwritten public offering of 15,000,000 shares of the Company’s common stock at a public offering price of $11.50 per share, before underwriting discounts, which included 1,956,521 shares issued upon the exercise in full by the underwriter of its option to purchase additional shares at the public offering price less the underwriting discount. The gross proceeds from the offering, before deducting the underwriting discounts and commissions and other estimated offering expenses payable by the Company, are $172.5 million, with estimated net proceeds to the Company of approximately $161.7 million.

The Company expects to further increase its research and development activities, which will increase the amount of cash used during 2018 and beyond. Specifically, the Company expects continued spending on clinical trials, continued and expansion of manufacturing activities, higher payroll expenses as the Company increases its professional and scientific staff and research and development activities. Based on the funds the Company has available as of the date these financial statements are issued, which includes the net proceeds of approximately $161.7 million raised in connection with the Company’s January 2018 public offering, the Company believes that it has sufficient capital to fund its anticipated operating expenses for at least 24 months from the date these financial statements are issued.

SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING PRACTICES

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2017

Accounting Policies [Abstract]

SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING PRACTICES

NOTE 2. SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING PRACTICES

Cash and Cash Equivalents

All highly liquid investments with an original maturity date of three months or less when purchased 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. The Company has 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, 2017, the Company did not have any short-term investments. 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, 2017, 2016 and 2015, 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, 2017 and 2016, 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, 2017, 2016 and 2015, 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,
	2017		2016		2015
Stock options		6,072,368		6,233,150		2,693,237
Warrants		6,301,216		6,566,216		7,202,216
Series A Convertible Preferred*		847,000		847,000		847,000
Series B Convertible Preferred*		7,378,241		7,946,673		-
Restricted stock awards		-		7,084		321,252
Restricted stock units		114,582		550,000		-
		20,713,407		22,150,123		11,063,705

* 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 the Company’s 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 the Company holds that are generally assessed under Level 2 are corporate bonds and commercial paper. The Company utilizes 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. The Company uses quotes from external pricing service providers and other on-line quotation systems to verify the fair value of investments provided by its third-party pricing service providers. The Company reviews independent auditor’s reports from its third-party pricing service providers particularly regarding the controls over pricing and valuation of financial instruments and ensure that its 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.

The Company does not have fair valued assets classified under Level 3.

As of December 31, 2017, the Company had no financial assets measured at fair value on a recurring basis.

As of December 31, 2016, financial assets measured at fair value on a recurring basis are categorized in the table 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

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, the useful lives of property and equipment, 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.

Principles of Consolidation

The accompanying consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Iovance Biotherapeutics, Inc. and its wholly-owned subsidiary, Iovance Biotherapeutics GmbH (formerly Lion Biotechnologies GmbH). All intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated. The U.S. dollar is the functional currency for all the Company's consolidated operations.

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. During the years ended December 31, 2016 and 2015, the Company estimated forfeitures at the time of grant and revised those estimates in subsequent periods if actual forfeitures differed from those estimates. Effective January 1, 2017, the Company adopted ASU 2016-09 and elected to recognize forfeitures when they occur using a modified retrospective approach, which did not have a material impact on its consolidated financial statements.

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, which is recognized as an expense over the period during 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 the Company’s stock-based awards was recorded on the statements of operations as follows (in thousands):

	Years Ended December 31,
	2017		2016		2015
Research and development	$	5,270	$	3,267	$	2,248
General and administrative		6,698		15,637		6,275
Total stock-based compensation expense	$	11,968	$	18,904	$	8,523

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

	Years Ended December 31,
	2017		2016		2015
Stock option expense	$	10,862	$	16,453	$	6,752
Restricted stock award expense		34		989		1,771
Restricted stock unit expense		1,072		1,462		-
Total stock-based compensation expense	$	11,968	$	18,904	$	8,523

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. The Company has a history of contracting with third parties that perform various clinical trial activities on its behalf in connection with the ongoing development of its 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. The Company accrues and expenses 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. The Company determines its 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 Securities and Exchange Commission (“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 and cash equivalents.

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 are financially sound and, accordingly, minimal credit risk exists. As of December 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively, 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 include 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 March 2016, the FASB issued ASU 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 adopted this ASU in the beginning of fiscal year 2017 Upon adoption, the Company elected to recognize forfeitures when they occur using a modified retrospective approach, which did not have a material impact on its consolidated financial statements.

In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842), which establishes a new lease accounting model for lessees. The updated guidance requires an entity to recognize assets and liabilities arising from a lease for both financing and operating leases, along with additional qualitative and quantitative disclosures. The amended guidance is effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those years, beginning after December 15, 2018, with early adoption permitted. The Company has not yet selected a transition date and is currently evaluating the impact of the adoption of this standard on its consolidated financial statements.

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, 2017

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

CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS AND SHORT-TERM INVESTMENTS

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

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

	December 31,		December 31,
	2017		2016
Cash - Demand deposits	$	54,092	$	76,071
Cash equivalents - Money market funds		91,281		30,646
Cash and cash equivalents total	$	145,373	$	106,717

	December 31,		December 31,
	2017		2016
Commercial paper	$	-	$	29,178
Corporate debt securities		-		26,578
US Government agency securities		-		3,997
Short-term investments total	$	-	$	59,753

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, 2017	Cost		Gains		Losses		Fair Value
Money market funds	$	91,281	$	-	$	-	$	91,281

			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.

BALANCE SHEET COMPONENTS

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2017

Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]

BALANCE SHEET COMPONENTS

NOTE 4. BALANCE SHEET COMPONENTS

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

	December 31,		December 31,
	2017		2016
Lab equipment	$	3,207	$	2,405
Leasehold improvements		1,726		1,381
Computer equipment		349		245
Office furniture and equipment		188		148
Construction in progress		13		276
Total Property and equipment, cost		5,483		4,455
Less: Accumulated depreciation and amortization		(3,033)		(2,081)
Property and equipment, net	$	2,450	$	2,374

Depreciation expense for the years ended December 31, 2017, 2016 and 2015 was $1.0 million, $1.0 million and $1.0 million, respectively.

Accrued liabilities consist of the following (in thousands):

	December 31,		December 31,
	2017		2016
Accrued payroll and employee related expenses	$	2,613	$	1,581
Legal and related services		935		927
Clinical related		3,310		614
Manufacturing related		876		437
Deferred rent		430		422
Accrued other		496		124
	$	8,660	$	4,105

STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2017

Stockholders' Equity Note [Abstract]

STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY

NOTE 5. STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY

Preferred stock

The Company’s certificate of incorporation authorizes the issuance of up to 50,000,000 shares of “blank check” preferred stock. At December 31, 2017, 17,000 shares were designated as Series A Convertible Preferred Stock (“Series A Preferred Stock”) and 11,500,000 shares were designated as Series B Preferred Stock (“Series B Preferred Stock”).

Series A Convertible Preferred Stock

A total of 17,000 shares of Series A Preferred Stock have been authorized for issuance under the Company’s 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 the Company’s common stock. The holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock do not have the right to vote on matters that come before the Company’s stockholders. In the event of any dissolution or winding up of the Company, proceeds shall be paid pari passu among the holders of the Company’s 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 year ended December 31, 2017, no shares of Series A Preferred Stock were converted into shares of common stock. During the years ended December 31, 2016 and 2015, 4,000 and 11,306 shares, respectively, of Series A Preferred Stock were converted into 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

A total of 11,500,000 shares of Series B Preferred Stock are authorized for issuance under the Company’s Series B Certificate of Designation of Rights, Preferences and Privileges of Series B Preferred Stock. The shares of Series B Preferred Stock have a stated value of $4.75 per share and are convertible into shares of the Company’s common stock at an initial conversion price of $4.75 per share.

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

During the year ended December 31, 2017 568,432 shares of Series B Preferred Stock were converted into 568,432 shares of common stock, and 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. 7,378,241 shares of Series B Preferred Stock remained outstanding at December 31, 2017.

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 newly created Series B Preferred Stock. The shares of common stock and Series B Preferred Stock 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 Stock 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 Stock 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 stockholders 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.

Public Offering

On September 25, 2017, the Company sold 8,846,154 shares of its common stock in an underwritten public offering at $6.50 per share for net proceeds of $53.7 million after deducting underwriting discounts and expenses of the offering.

Warrants

A summary of the status of stock warrants at December 31, 2017, 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, 2015		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
Issued		-		-
Exercised		(265,000)		2.50
Expired/Cancelled		-		-
Outstanding at December 31, 2017		6,301,216	$	2.51		0.8 years	$	34,651

STOCK BASED COMPENSATION

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2017

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

STOCK BASED COMPENSATION

NOTE 6. STOCK BASED COMPENSATION

Stock Plans

As of October 14, 2011, the Company adopted the 2011 Equity Incentive Plan (the “2011 Plan”). Employees, directors, consultants and advisors of the Company are eligible to participate in the 2011 Plan. The 2011 Plan initially had 180,000 shares of common stock reserved for issuance in the form of incentive stock options, non-qualified options, common stock, and grant appreciation rights. The 2011 Plan was not approved by the Company’s stockholders within the required one-year period following its adoption and, accordingly, no incentive stock options can be granted under that plan. In August 2013, the Company’s Board of Directors and a majority of the Company’s stockholders approved an amendment to increase the number of shares available under the 2011 Plan from 180,000 shares to 1,700,000 shares, and an amendment to increase the number options or other awards that can be granted to any one person during a twelve (12) month period from 50,000 shares to 300,000 shares. The foregoing amendment to the 2011 Plan became effective in September 2013. On August 20, 2014, the Company’s Board of Directors amended the 2011 Plan to increase the number of shares available for issuance upon the exercise of stock options under the 2011 Plan from 1,700,000 to 1,900,000 shares, effective immediately. As of December 31, 2017, 725,267 shares were available for future grant under the 2011 Plan.

On September 19, 2014, the Company’s Board of Directors (the “Board”) adopted the Iovance Biotherapeutics, Inc. 2014 Equity Incentive Plan (the “2014 Plan”). The 2014 Plan was approved by the Company’s stockholders at the Company’s 2014 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 the Company’s 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 to 4,000,000 shares of the Company’s common stock. The increase in shares available for issuance under the 2014 Plan was approved by the Company’s stockholders at the Company’s 2015 Annual Meeting of Stockholders in June 2015.

On August 16, 2016, the Company’s stockholders approved an increase in the total number of shares that can be issued under the 2014 Plan to 9,000,000 shares of the Company’s common stock. At December 31, 2017, 2,516,992 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 vest in installments as follows: (i) 137,500 restricted stock units vested upon the first anniversary of the effective date of Dr. Fardis’ employment agreement; (ii) 275,000 restricted stock units vest upon the satisfaction of certain clinical trial milestones; and (iii) 137,500 restricted stock units 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 restricted stock units (“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, 2017, $0.7 million of total unrecognized compensation costs related to non-vested RSUs are scheduled to be recognized over a weighted average period of 2.5 years.

During the years ended December 31, 2017 and 2016, the Company recognized $1.1 million and $1.5 million, respectively, in stock-based compensation expense related to RSUs.

Stock Options

A summary of the status of stock options at December 31, 2017, 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, 2015		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
Granted		2,188,800		6.68
Exercised		(1,011,284)		5.55
Expired/Forfeited		(1,338,298)		6.79
Outstanding at December 31, 2017		6,072,368	$	7.42		7.9 years	$	6,199
Exercisable at December 31, 2017		2,769,205	$	7.96		6.4 years	$	2,457
Exercisable at December 31, 2016		2,496,695	$	7.35		4.1 years	$	1,839

The total pre-tax intrinsic value of stock options exercised during the year ended December 31, 2017, 2016 and 2015 was $2.6 million, $0.2 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, 2017, 2016 and 2015 was $6.58, $6.78 and $8.77, per option respectively.

As of December 31, 2017, $19.5 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 the Company’s equity incentive plans for the years ended December 31, 2017, 2016 and 2015:

	Years Ended December 31,
	2017	2016	2015
Expected dividend yield	0%	0%	0%
Risk-free interest rate	2.34 % - 1.72%	2.16 % - 1.18%	1.56%
Expected term (in years)	6.50 - 5.13	6.50 - 5.07	6.00
Expected volatility	209.69% - 190.46%	213.60% - 189.40%	218.00% - 207.00%

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 recognizes forfeitures as they occur.

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

During the years ended December 31, 2017, 2016 and 2015, the Company recorded compensation costs of $10.9 million, $16.5 million and $6.8 million, respectively, relating to the vesting of stock options.

A summary of outstanding, exercisable and vested stock options as of December 31, 2017 is as follows (in thousands, except per share amounts):

	Options Outstanding								Exercisable
Range of Exercise Prices	Number of Shares		Weighted Average Remaining Contractual Life		Weighted Average Exercise Price Per Share		Aggregate Intrinsic Value		Number of Shares		Weighted Average Remaining Contractual Life		Weighted Average Exercise Price Per Share		Aggregate Intrinsic Value

$5.05 - $5.86		959,200		8.16	$	5.32	$			390,000		6.31	$	5.43
$5.87 - $6.58		932,550		7.90		6.02				421,712		6.77		6.08
$6.59 - $7.43		897,500		7.51		6.99				323,790		4.25		6.94
$7.44 - $7.57		1,358,166		8.91		7.52				434,370		8.67		7.54
$7.58 - $9.00		864,286		7.37		7.83				401,273		5.50		7.81
$9.01 - $117		1,060,666		6.90		10.46				798,060		6.33		10.90
		6,072,368		7.86	$	7.42	$	6,199		2,769,205		6.40	$	7.96	$	2,457

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, 2015		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
Granted		-		-
Vested		(7,084)		(6.48)
Forfeited		-		-
Non-vested shares, December 31, 2017		-	$	-

During the years ended December 31, 2017, 2016 and 2015, the Company recorded compensation costs of $0.0 million, $1.0 million and $1.8 million, respectively, in connection with these awards and is recognized as expense in the accompanying statements of operations. As of December 31, 2017, there were no outstanding unvested restricted common stock awards.

EMPLOYEE BENEFIT PLAN

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2017

Compensation and Retirement Disclosure [Abstract]

Compensation and Employee Benefit Plans

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 of 1986, as amended (the “IRC”). The Company's matching contribution to the plan was $0.3 million, $0.1 million and $0.0 million for the years ended December 31, 2017, 2016 and 2015, respectively.

SEPARATION AGREEMENTS

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2017

Restructuring and Related Activities [Abstract]

Separation Agreements Disclosure

NOTE 8. SEPARATION AGREEMENTS

In June 2016, the Company entered into a separation agreement with Dr. Elma Hawkins, its 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. The Company 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 Board 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 and she received a severance payment of approximately $0.4 million, representing one year’s salary. The Company 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, 2017

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,
	2017		2016
Deferred income tax asset:
Net operating loss carry forward	$	33,300	$	23,912
Stock-based compensation		4,568		9,562
Tax credit carryforwards		9,323		8,167
Reserves and accruals		733		139
Deferred tax asssets before valuation allowance		47,924		41,780
Less: valuation allowance		(47,849)		(41,402)
Net deferred income tax assets		75		378
Deferred tax liabilities:
Depreciation and amortization		(75)		(378)
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,
	2017			2016			2015
Federal statutory tax rate		(34)	%		(34)	%		(34)	%
Orphan Drug &; Research credits		0			(8)			(12)
Permanent and other differences		4			4			10
Tax rate change		23			-			-
State tax, net of federal benefit		-			(4)			(5)
		(7)	%		(42)	%		(41)	%
Valuation allowance		7	%		42	%		41	%
Effective tax rate		-	%		-	%		-	%

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

	Years ended December 31,
	2017		2016		2015
Federal:
Current	$	-	$	-	$	-
Deferred		(7,391)		(19,050)		(9,724)
State and Local
Current		-		-		-
Deferred		944		(3,007)		(1,887)
Change in Valuation Allowance		6,447		22,057		11,611
Total income tax expense (benefit)	$	-	$	-	$	-

The Company had net operating loss carryovers (“NOLs”) for federal and state income tax purposes of approximately $143.3 million and $66.3 million, respectively, as of December 31, 2017. The federal NOLs will expire beginning in 2027 through 2037. The state NOLs will expire if unused in years 2030 through 2037.

The Company’s utilization of NOLs 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 IRC (“Section 382”), 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 could result in an ownership change in the future upon subsequent disposition.

On December 22, 2017, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 (“Tax Act”) was signed into law making significant changes to the Internal Revenue Code. Changes include, but are not limited to, a corporate tax rate decrease from 35% to 21% effective for tax years beginning after December 31, 2017, the transition of U.S international taxation from a worldwide tax system to a territorial system, and a one-time transition tax on the mandatory deemed repatriation of cumulative foreign earnings as of December 31, 2017. The Company has calculated its 2017 year-end income tax provision with its best estimate of the impact of the Act in accordance with its understanding of the Act and guidance available as of the date of this filing. The tax rate decrease resulted in a reduction of $20.8 million in the Company’s deferred tax assets, and a corresponding decrease of the same amount in the valuation allowance against these deferred tax assets.

In assessing the realization of deferred tax assets, management considers whether it is more likely than not that some portion or all 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, 2017, 2016 and 2015, the change in the valuation allowance was approximately $6.4 million, $22.1 million and $11.6 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 consolidated statement of operations. Penalties would be recognized as a component of “General and Administrative Expenses” in the consolidated statement of operations.

A reconciliation of the beginning and ending balances of the unrecognized tax benefits during the years ended December 31, 2017, 2016 and 2015 is as follows (in thousands):

	Years ended December 31,
	2017		2016		2015
Unrecognized benefit—beginning of period	$	-	$	-	$	-
Gross decreases—prior period tax positions		2,780		-		-
Gross increases—current period tax positions		1,331		-		-
Unrecognized benefit—end of period	$	4,111	$	-	$	-

No interest or penalties on unpaid tax were recorded during the years ended December 31, 2017, 2016 and 2015, respectively. The Company does not anticipate any significant changes within 12 months of this reporting date of its uncertain tax positions.

The Company files tax returns in the U.S. federal and state jurisdictions. The tax years beginning with the year ended December 31, 2007 remain open to examination by tax authorities to the extent of the utilization of net operating losses and credit carryovers. The Company is not currently under examination by income tax authorities in federal, state or other foreign jurisdictions.

LICENSES AND AGREEMENTS

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2017

Licenses And Agreements [Abstract]

LICENSES AND AGREEMENTS

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 Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (“CRADA”) with the National Cancer Institute (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 to the CRADA (the “Amendment”) 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 Human Papilloma Virus (“HPV”)-associated cancers.

In August 2016, the NCI and the Company entered into a second amendment to the CRADA (the “Second Amendment”). 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 U.S. Food and Drug Administration (“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, the Company is currently required to make quarterly payments of $0.5 million to the NCI for support of research activities. To the extent the Company licenses patent rights relating to a TIL-based product candidate, the Company will be responsible for all patent-related expenses and fees, past and future, relating to the TIL-based product candidate. In addition, the Company may be required to supply certain test articles, including TIL, grown and processed under cGMP conditions, suitable for use in clinical trials, where the Company holds the investigational new drug application 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, 2017, 2016 and 2015, the Company recorded costs associated with the CRADA of $2.0 million, $1.8 million and $2.0 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 (the “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 was subsequently amended on February 9, 2015 and October 2, 2015. Pursuant to the Patent 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 (the “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 paid 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 Exclusive Patent License Agreement.

During the year ended December 31, 2017, the costs associated with the NIH patent licenses were immaterial. During the years ended December 31, 2016 and 2015, the Company recorded $0.4 million and $0.4 million, respectively, as research and development expenses associated with the NIH patent licenses.

H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center

Research Collaboration and Clinical Grant Agreements with Moffitt

In September 2014, the Company entered into a research collaboration agreement with the H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center (“Moffitt”) to jointly engage in translational research and development of adoptive tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte cell therapy with improved anti-tumor properties and process.

In December 2016, the Company entered into a new three-year Sponsored Research Agreement with Moffitt (the “Moffitt SRA”). At the same time, the Company entered into a clinical grant agreement with Moffitt to support an ongoing clinical trial at Moffitt that combines TIL therapy with nivolumab for the treatment of patients with metastatic melanoma. In June 2017, the Company entered into a second clinical grant agreement with Moffitt to support a new clinical trial at Moffitt that combines TIL therapy with nivolumab for the treatment of patients with non-small cell lung cancer. In the years ended December 31, 2017, 2016 and 2015, the Company recorded research and development costs of $1.2 million, $0.7 million, and $0.7 million, respectively, in connection with the research collaboration and clinical grant agreements with Moffit.

Exclusive License Agreement with Moffitt

The Company entered into a license agreement with Moffitt (the “Moffitt License”), 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 TIL for adoptive cell therapy. Unless earlier terminated, the term of the license extends until the earlier of the expiration of the last issued patent related to the licensed technology or 20 years after the effective date of the license agreement.

Pursuant to the Moffitt License, 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, 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 related to the treatment of any cancers in the United States, Europe and Japan and in other countries designated by the Company in agreement with Moffitt. During the years ended December 31, 2017, 2016 and 2015, the Company did not record any costs associated with Moffitt License.

PolyBioCept and Karolinska University Hospital

PolyBioCept 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, one of which has been abandoned. Under the PolyBioCept Agreement, the Company received the exclusive right and license to PolyBioCept’s intellectual property to develop, manufacture, market and genetically engineer TIL produced by expansion, selection and enrichment using a proprietary 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 upfront 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 FDA and/or the European Medicines Agency, 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 reimbursed PolyBioCept $0.2 million in expenses related to the transfer of know-how and paid 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 $0.2 million in connection with this agreement in the year ended December 31, 2017. The Company recognized $2.7 million in connection with this agreement in the year ended December 31, 2016, as research and development expense, which amount included the $2.5 million upfront exclusive license payment.

Karolinska University Hospital and Karolinska Institute Agreements

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, which date has been extended by amendments to the PolyBioCept Agreement. Failure to enter into the sponsored research agreement or further amend the PolyBioCept Agreement will give PolyBioCept the right to terminate the PolyBioCept Agreement, while the Company will have the right to recoup $2.2 million of the payments it made under the PolyBioCept Agreement. The Company will pay the Karolinska Institute an additional $2.6 million in connection with these other related agreements. In the years ended December 31, 2016, the Company paid Karolinska University Hospital $1.6 million under the clinical trials agreement to conduct the clinical trials. The $1.6 million payment was classified as a prepaid expense and is being expensed in accordance with the Company’s research and development expense accounting policy (see Note 1). Accordingly, the Company recognized $0.3 million and $0.1 million in connection with this agreement as research and development expense in the years ended December 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively.

M.D. Anderson Cancer Center

Strategic Alliance Agreement

On April 17, 2017, the Company entered into a Strategic Alliance Agreement (the “SAA”) with M.D. Anderson Cancer Center (“M.D. Anderson”) under which the Company and M.D. Anderson agreed to conduct clinical and preclinical research studies. The Company agreed in the SAA to provide total funding not to exceed approximately $14.2 million for the performance of the multi-year studies under the SAA. In return, the Company will acquire all rights to inventions resulting from the studies and has been granted a non-exclusive, sub-licensable, royalty-free, and perpetual license to specified background intellectual property of M.D. Anderson reasonably necessary to exploit any invention, including the commercialization thereof. The Company has also been granted certain rights to clinical data generated by M.D. Anderson outside of the clinical trials to be performed under the SAA. The SAA’s term shall continue in effect until the later of the fourth anniversary of the SAA or the completion or termination of the research and receipt by the Company of all deliverables due from M.D. Anderson thereunder. As of December 31, 2017, the Company had paid $1.4 million under the SAA. This amount has been recorded under long-term assets on the Company’s consolidated balance sheets and will be amortized to research and development expenses in accordance with the Company’s research and development accounting policy, based on enrollment and other factors. The Company did not recognize any research and development expense associated with the M.D. Anderson SAA for the year ended December 31, 2017.

MedImmune

In December 2015, the Company entered into a collaboration agreement (the “MedImmune Agreement”) with MedImmune, the global biologics research and development arm of AstraZeneca (“MedImmune”), to conduct clinical and preclinical research immuno-oncology. Under the MedImmune Agreement, the Company will fund and conduct at least one clinical trial combining MedImmune's PD-L1 inhibitor, durvalumab, with TIL for the treatment of patients. 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.

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 the Company to pay approximately $5.85 million during the first year of the agreement. The Company and WuXi have extended the term of the related statements of work until May 2020. During the years ended December 31, 2017 and 2016, the Company recorded costs associated with agreements with WuXi of $13.9 million and $2.4 million, respectively, as research and development expenses.

COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2017

Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]

COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES

NOTE 11. COMMITMENTS AND 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, and rent payments are approximately $20,000 per month. The lease expires in November 2019.

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 will expire in April 2021. Monthly lease payments are approximately $38,000.

On April 28, 2017, the Company entered into a sublease agreement with Teradata US, Inc., pursuant to which the Company agreed to sublease certain office space located adjacent to the Company's headquarters for approximately $26,000 per month. The space consists of approximately 11,449 rentable square feet in the building located in San Carlos, California and will expire on October 31, 2018.

New York Lease

The Company leased office space in New York for a monthly rental of approximately $18,000 a month from January 2017 through July 2017. On June 5, 2017, the Company entered into an agreement whereby the Company will lease office space from August 1, 2017 to July 31, 2018, for approximately $9,000 a month.

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, 2017, the Company's future minimum lease payments under non-cancelable operating leases are as follows (in thousands):

Year	Operating Lease Commitments
2018	$	1,023
2019		700
2020		495
2021		169
	$	2,387

Rent expense for the years ended December 31, 2017, 2016 and 2015 was $1.0 million, $0.7 million and $0.3 million, respectively.

LEGAL PROCEEDINGS

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2017

Loss Contingency [Abstract]

LEGAL PROCEEDINGS

NOTE 12. LEGAL PROCEEDINGS

Class Action Lawsuit and Derivative Lawsuit. On April 10, 2017, the SEC announced settlements with us and with other public companies and unrelated parties in the In the Matter of Certain Stock Promotion investigation. The Company’s settlement with the SEC is consistent with its previous disclosures (including in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K that it filed with the SEC on March 9, 2017). On April 14, 2017, a purported shareholder filed a complaint seeking class action in the United States District Court, Northern District of California for violations of the federal securities laws (Leonard DeSilvio v. Lion Biotechnologies, Inc., et al., case no: 3:17cv2086) against the Company and three of its former officers and directors. On April 19, 2017, a second class action complaint (Amra Kuc vs. Lion Biotechnologies, Inc., et al., case no: 3:17cv2086) was filed in the same court. Both complaints allege, among other things, that the defendants violated the federal securities laws by making materially false and misleading statements, or by failing to make certain disclosures, regarding the actions taken by Manish Singh, the Company’s former CEO, and the Company’s former investor relations firm that were the subject of the In the Matter of Certain Stock Promotions SEC investigation. On July 20, 2017, the plaintiff in the Kuc case filed a notice to voluntarily dismiss that case. The court entered an order dismissing the Kuc complaint on July 21, 2017. On July 26, 2017, the court appointed a movant as lead plaintiff. On September 8, 2017, the lead plaintiff filed an amended complaint (Jay Rabkin v. Lion Biotechnologies, Inc., et al., case no. 3:17cv0286) seeking class action status that alleges, among other things, that the defendants violated the federal securities laws by making materially false and misleading statements, or by failing to make certain disclosures, regarding the actions taken by Manish Singh and the Company’s former investor relations firm that were the subject of the In the Matter of Certain Stock Promotions SEC investigation. On October 6, 2017, the court entered an order setting a schedule for the case, which includes a briefing schedule for motions to dismiss and a hearing date of December 22, 2017, which hearing was subsequently rescheduled by the court for January 5, 2018. On January 4, 2018, the court entered an order vacating and deeming the briefing on motions to dismiss submitted without oral argument. On February 5, 2018, court entered an order dismissing two of Plaintiff’s six claims with leave to amend.

On December 15, 2017, a purported shareholder derivative complaint, Kevin Fong v. Manish Singh, et al. (case no. 17:1806), was filed against the Company, as nominal defendant, and certain of its current and former officers and directors, and others, as defendants, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware. The complaint alleges breaches of fiduciary duties, unjust enrichment, and violations of Section 14(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and Rule 14a-9 promulgated thereunder arising from the Securities and Exchange Commission’s investigation in the In the Matter of Certain Stock Promotions matter and the Company’s April 10, 2017 settlement thereof, and seeks unspecified damages on behalf of the Company and injunctive relief.

The Company intends to vigorously defend against the foregoing complaints. Based on the very early stage of the litigation, it is not possible to estimate the amount or range of possible loss that might result from an adverse judgment or a settlement of these matters.

Solomon Capital, LLC. On April 8, 2016, a lawsuit titled Solomon Capital, LLC, Solomon Capital 401(K) Trust, Solomon Sharbat and Shelhav Raff v. 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 the Company’s 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 the Company’s common stock effected in September 2013), and (iii) allow the plaintiffs to convert the foregoing funds into the Company’s 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 was 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.

On April 19, 2017, the Court granted plaintiffs’ counsel’s motion to withdraw from the case. On May 25, 2017, the plaintiffs filed a notice that they had hired new counsel. On June 7, 2017, the judge presiding over the case recused herself because of a conflict of interest arising from her relationship with plaintiffs’ new attorneys. The case has been assigned to a new judge, and briefing on a motion to dismiss has occurred, with oral argument on the motion to dismiss scheduled for April 20, 2018.

The Company intends to vigorously defend the complaint and pursue its counterclaims.

Litigation Involving Dr. Steven Fischkoff. On June 13, 2017, in an action titled Steven Fischkoff v. Lion Biotechnologies, Inc. and Maria Fardis, Dr. Steven Fischkoff, the Company’s former Vice President and Chief Medical Officer, filed a lawsuit against the Company in the Supreme Court of the State of New York, County of New York. Dr. Fischkoff was dismissed by the Company on March 28, 2017. Dr. Fischkoff was terminated “for cause” as that term is defined in his employment agreement. In his complaint, Dr. Fischkoff alleges breaches of his employment agreement and violation of New York labor law for failure to pay monies purportedly owed to him, and seeks to recover amounts including severance pay and retention bonus (totaling $0.3 million), a prorated incentive bonus, and amounts relating to unvested options to 150,000 shares of the Company’s common stock, together with prejudgment interest, costs, expenses and attorneys’ fees. On July 5, 2017, the Company filed a removal petition and removed the lawsuit to the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, where the case has been assigned case no. 17-cv-05041. On July 14, 2017, the Company filed a partial answer and counterclaims against Dr. Fischkoff, denying his allegations, and alleging breach of contract and related claims, breach of fiduciary duty, and state and federal trade secret misappropriation and related claims, and sought a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction against Dr. Fischkoff. On July 18, 2017, the court issued a temporary restraining order against Dr. Fischkoff requiring him to return Company materials, prohibiting him from disclosing or using Company materials, and granting expedited discovery, which is currently proceeding.

The Company intends to vigorously defend against Dr. Fischkoff’s lawsuit and pursue the Company’s counterclaims. Based on the very early stage of the litigation, it is not possible to estimate the amount or range of (i) a possible loss that might result from an adverse judgment or settlement of this action, or (ii) the potential recovery that might result from a favorable judgment or a settlement of this action.

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, the Company believes 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. Regardless of outcome, litigation can have an adverse impact on the Company because of defense and settlement costs, diversion of management resources and other factors.

QUARTERLY UNAUDITED RESULTS

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2017

Quarterly Financial Information Disclosure [Abstract]

QUARTERLY UNAUDITED RESULTS

NOTE 13. QUARTERLY UNAUDITED RESULTS

The results of operations by quarter for the years ended December 31, 2017 and 2016 are as follow:

	2017								2016
	(in thousands, except per share information)
	Q1		Q2		Q3		Q4		Q1		Q2		Q3		Q4
Revenue	$	-	$	-	$	-	$	-	$	-	$	-	$	-	$	-
Net loss attributable to common stockholders	$	(20,684)	$	(23,377)	$	(22,149)	$	(25,854)	$	(6,884)	$	(11,563)	$	(68,212)	$	(15,689)

Net loss per share, basic and diluted	$	(0.33)	$	(0.37)	$	(0.35)	$	(0.36)	$	(0.14)	$	(0.23)	$	(1.15)	$	(0.25)
Weighted average shares used in computing net loss per share, basic and diluted		62,286		62,457		63,332		72,794		48,548		51,082		59,113		62,130

RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2017

RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS

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 $0.7 million, $0.8 million and $0.7 million, during the years ended December 31, 2017, 2016 and 2015, respectively. Mr. Hillsberg did not directly provide any legal services to the Company during the periods noted. As of December 31, 2017 and 2016, the Company had $0.1 million and $0.1 million in liabilities owing to TroyGould PC related to legal services, respectively.

On September 14, 2017, the Company entered into a three-year consulting agreement with Iain Dukes, D. Phil, the Chairman of the Board. As compensation for his consulting services, the Company granted Dr. Dukes a stock option to purchase up to 150,000 shares of the Company’s common stock, at an exercise price of $7.30 per share. Under the consulting agreement, Dr. Dukes agreed to provide the Company with services regarding business development opportunities, licensing transactions and technology acquisitions by the Company, and any such strategic initiatives appropriate for the Company that Dr. Dukes may identify. The granted stock options vest in 12 quarterly installments (with 1/12th of the option shares having vested on the date of grant). The vesting of the granted stock options will accelerate, and the entire award will become fully vested upon the closing of a significant licensing transaction, a material product acquisition, a material strategic transaction, or upon a change of control transaction. The Company recognized $0.2 million in stock-based compensation expense related to this consulting agreement during the year ended December 31, 2017.

SUBSEQUENT EVENT

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2017

Subsequent Events [Abstract]

SUBSEQUENT EVENTS

NOTE 15. SUBSEQUENT EVENT

In January 2018, the Company announced the closing of its underwritten public offering of 15,000,000 shares of the Company’s common stock at a public offering price of $11.50 per share, before underwriting discounts, which included 1,956,521 shares issued upon the exercise in full by the underwriter of its option to purchase additional shares at the public offering price less the underwriting discount. The gross proceeds from the offering, before deducting the underwriting discounts and commissions and other estimated offering expenses payable by the Company, are $172.5 million, with estimated net proceeds to the Company of approximately $161.7 million.

SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING PRACTICES (Policies)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2017

Accounting Policies [Abstract]

Cash and Cash Equivalents

Cash and Cash Equivalents

Short-term Investments

Short-term Investments

Property and Equipment, net

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, 2017 and 2016, the Company had no liabilities measured at fair value.

Loss per Share

Loss per Share

At December 31, 2017, 2016 and 2015, 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,
	2017		2016		2015
Stock options		6,072,368		6,233,150		2,693,237
Warrants		6,301,216		6,566,216		7,202,216
Series A Convertible Preferred*		847,000		847,000		847,000
Series B Convertible Preferred*		7,378,241		7,946,673		-
Restricted stock awards		-		7,084		321,252
Restricted stock units		114,582		550,000		-
		20,713,407		22,150,123		11,063,705

* on an as-converted basis

Fair Value Measurements

Fair Value Measurements

The Company does not have fair valued assets classified under Level 3.

As of December 31, 2017, the Company had no financial assets measured at fair value on a recurring basis.

	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

Use of Estimates

Use of Estimates

Principles of Consolidation

Principles of Consolidation

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 the Company’s stock-based awards was recorded on the statements of operations as follows (in thousands):

	Years Ended December 31,
	2017		2016		2015
Research and development	$	5,270	$	3,267	$	2,248
General and administrative		6,698		15,637		6,275
Total stock-based compensation expense	$	11,968	$	18,904	$	8,523

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

	Years Ended December 31,
	2017		2016		2015
Stock option expense	$	10,862	$	16,453	$	6,752
Restricted stock award expense		34		989		1,771
Restricted stock unit expense		1,072		1,462		-
Total stock-based compensation expense	$	11,968	$	18,904	$	8,523

Research and Development Expenses

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 and cash equivalents.

Preferred Stock

Preferred Stock

Convertible Instruments

Convertible Instruments

Recent Accounting Standards

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, 2017

Accounting Policies [Abstract]

Schedule of Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share

At December 31, 2017, 2016 and 2015, 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,
	2017		2016		2015
Stock options		6,072,368		6,233,150		2,693,237
Warrants		6,301,216		6,566,216		7,202,216
Series A Convertible Preferred*		847,000		847,000		847,000
Series B Convertible Preferred*		7,378,241		7,946,673		-
Restricted stock awards		-		7,084		321,252
Restricted stock units		114,582		550,000		-
		20,713,407		22,150,123		11,063,705

* on an as-converted basis

Schedule of Assets Measured at Fair Value

	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

Schedule of Stock-Based Compensation

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

	Years Ended December 31,
	2017		2016		2015
Research and development	$	5,270	$	3,267	$	2,248
General and administrative		6,698		15,637		6,275
Total stock-based compensation expense	$	11,968	$	18,904	$	8,523

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,
	2017		2016		2015
Stock option expense	$	10,862	$	16,453	$	6,752
Restricted stock award expense		34		989		1,771
Restricted stock unit expense		1,072		1,462		-
Total stock-based compensation expense	$	11,968	$	18,904	$	8,523

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

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2017

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):

	December 31,		December 31,
	2017		2016
Cash - Demand deposits	$	54,092	$	76,071
Cash equivalents - Money market funds		91,281		30,646
Cash and cash equivalents total	$	145,373	$	106,717

	December 31,		December 31,
	2017		2016
Commercial paper	$	-	$	29,178
Corporate debt securities		-		26,578
US Government agency securities		-		3,997
Short-term investments total	$	-	$	59,753

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, 2017	Cost		Gains		Losses		Fair Value
Money market funds	$	91,281	$	-	$	-	$	91,281

			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

BALANCE SHEET COMPONENTS (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2017

Property, Plant and Equipment [Abstract]

Schedule of Property, Plant and Equipment

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

	December 31,		December 31,
	2017		2016
Lab equipment	$	3,207	$	2,405
Leasehold improvements		1,726		1,381
Computer equipment		349		245
Office furniture and equipment		188		148
Construction in progress		13		276
Total Property and equipment, cost		5,483		4,455
Less: Accumulated depreciation and amortization		(3,033)		(2,081)
Property and equipment, net	$	2,450	$	2,374

Schedule of Accrued Liabilities

Accrued liabilities consist of the following (in thousands):

	December 31,		December 31,
	2017		2016
Accrued payroll and employee related expenses	$	2,613	$	1,581
Legal and related services		935		927
Clinical related		3,310		614
Manufacturing related		876		437
Deferred rent		430		422
Accrued other		496		124
	$	8,660	$	4,105

STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2017

Stockholders' Equity Note [Abstract]

Schedule of Stockholders' Equity Note, Warrants or Rights

A summary of the status of stock warrants at December 31, 2017, 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, 2015		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
Issued		-		-
Exercised		(265,000)		2.50
Expired/Cancelled		-		-
Outstanding at December 31, 2017		6,301,216	$	2.51		0.8 years	$	34,651

- 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, 2017

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, 2017, 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, 2015		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
Granted		2,188,800		6.68
Exercised		(1,011,284)		5.55
Expired/Forfeited		(1,338,298)		6.79
Outstanding at December 31, 2017		6,072,368	$	7.42		7.9 years	$	6,199
Exercisable at December 31, 2017		2,769,205	$	7.96		6.4 years	$	2,457
Exercisable at December 31, 2016		2,496,695	$	7.35		4.1 years	$	1,839

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

The following table summarizes the assumptions relating to options granted pursuant to the Company’s equity incentive plans for the years ended December 31, 2017, 2016 and 2015:

	Years Ended December 31,
	2017	2016	2015
Expected dividend yield	0%	0%	0%
Risk-free interest rate	2.34 % - 1.72%	2.16 % - 1.18%	1.56%
Expected term (in years)	6.50 - 5.13	6.50 - 5.07	6.00
Expected volatility	209.69% - 190.46%	213.60% - 189.40%	218.00% - 207.00%

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, 2017 is as follows (in thousands, except per share amounts):

	Options Outstanding								Exercisable
Range of Exercise Prices	Number of Shares		Weighted Average Remaining Contractual Life		Weighted Average Exercise Price Per Share		Aggregate Intrinsic Value		Number of Shares		Weighted Average Remaining Contractual Life		Weighted Average Exercise Price Per Share		Aggregate Intrinsic Value

$5.05 - $5.86		959,200		8.16	$	5.32	$			390,000		6.31	$	5.43
$5.87 - $6.58		932,550		7.90		6.02				421,712		6.77		6.08
$6.59 - $7.43		897,500		7.51		6.99				323,790		4.25		6.94
$7.44 - $7.57		1,358,166		8.91		7.52				434,370		8.67		7.54
$7.58 - $9.00		864,286		7.37		7.83				401,273		5.50		7.81
$9.01 - $117		1,060,666		6.90		10.46				798,060		6.33		10.90
		6,072,368		7.86	$	7.42	$	6,199		2,769,205		6.40	$	7.96	$	2,457

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, 2015		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
Granted		-		-
Vested		(7,084)		(6.48)
Forfeited		-		-
Non-vested shares, December 31, 2017		-	$	-

INCOME TAXES (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2017

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,
	2017		2016
Deferred income tax asset:
Net operating loss carry forward	$	33,300	$	23,912
Stock-based compensation		4,568		9,562
Tax credit carryforwards		9,323		8,167
Reserves and accruals		733		139
Deferred tax asssets before valuation allowance		47,924		41,780
Less: valuation allowance		(47,849)		(41,402)
Net deferred income tax assets		75		378
Deferred tax liabilities:
Depreciation and amortization		(75)		(378)
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,
	2017			2016			2015
Federal statutory tax rate		(34)	%		(34)	%		(34)	%
Orphan Drug &; Research credits		0			(8)			(12)
Permanent and other differences		4			4			10
Tax rate change		23			-			-
State tax, net of federal benefit		-			(4)			(5)
		(7)	%		(42)	%		(41)	%
Valuation allowance		7	%		42	%		41	%
Effective tax rate		-	%		-	%		-	%

Schedule of Components of Income Tax Expense (Benefit)

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

	Years ended December 31,
	2017		2016		2015
Federal:
Current	$	-	$	-	$	-
Deferred		(7,391)		(19,050)		(9,724)
State and Local
Current		-		-		-
Deferred		944		(3,007)		(1,887)
Change in Valuation Allowance		6,447		22,057		11,611
Total income tax expense (benefit)	$	-	$	-	$	-

Schedule of Unrecognized Tax Benefits

A reconciliation of the beginning and ending balances of the unrecognized tax benefits during the years ended December 31, 2017, 2016 and 2015 is as follows (in thousands):

	Years ended December 31,
	2017		2016		2015
Unrecognized benefit—beginning of period	$	-	$	-	$	-
Gross decreases—prior period tax positions		2,780		-		-
Gross increases—current period tax positions		1,331		-		-
Unrecognized benefit—end of period	$	4,111	$	-	$	-

COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2017

Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]

Schedule of Future Minimum Rental Payments for Operating Leases

As of December 31, 2017, the Company's future minimum lease payments under non-cancelable operating leases are as follows (in thousands):

Year	Operating Lease Commitments
2018	$	1,023
2019		700
2020		495
2021		169
	$	2,387

QUARTERLY UNAUDITED RESULTS (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2017

Quarterly Financial Information Disclosure [Abstract]

Quarterly Financial Information

The results of operations by quarter for the years ended December 31, 2017 and 2016 are as follow:

	2017								2016
	(in thousands, except per share information)
	Q1		Q2		Q3		Q4		Q1		Q2		Q3		Q4
Revenue	$	-	$	-	$	-	$	-	$	-	$	-	$	-	$	-
Net loss attributable to common stockholders	$	(20,684)	$	(23,377)	$	(22,149)	$	(25,854)	$	(6,884)	$	(11,563)	$	(68,212)	$	(15,689)

Net loss per share, basic and diluted	$	(0.33)	$	(0.37)	$	(0.35)	$	(0.36)	$	(0.14)	$	(0.23)	$	(1.15)	$	(0.25)
Weighted average shares used in computing net loss per share, basic and diluted		62,286		62,457		63,332		72,794		48,548		51,082		59,113		62,130

GENERAL ORGANIZATION, BUSINESS AND LIQUIDITY (Details Textual) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands	1 Months Ended		3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Jan. 31, 2018	Sep. 25, 2017	Dec. 31, 2017	Sep. 30, 2017	Jun. 30, 2017	Mar. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Sep. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2016	Mar. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Net Income (Loss) Attributable to Parent, Total			$ (25,854)	$ (22,149)	$ (23,377)	$ (20,684)	$ (15,689)	$ (68,212)	$ (11,563)	$ (6,884)	$ (92,064)	$ (52,894)	$ (27,660)
Cash and Cash Equivalents, at Carrying Value			$ 145,373				$ 106,717				145,373	106,717	33,587	$ 44,909
Stock Issued During Period, Shares, New Issues		8,846,154
Proceeds from Issuance of Common Stock		$ 53,700									53,662	95,685	68,307
Shares Issued, Price Per Share		$ 6.50
Stock Issued During Period, Value, New Issues											53,662		68,307
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Operating Activities											$ (78,709)	$ (32,668)	$ (18,381)
IPO [Member] \| Subsequent Event [Member] \| Underwriting Options [Member]
Stock Issued During Period, Shares, New Issues	15,000,000
Proceeds from Issuance of Common Stock	$ 161,700
Shares Issued, Price Per Share	$ 11.50
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Exercises in Period	1,956,521
Stock Issued During Period, Value, New Issues	$ 172,500

SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING PRACTICES (Details) - shares

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2017

Dec. 31, 2016

Dec. 31, 2015

Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share, Amount

20,713,407

22,150,123

11,063,705

Employee Stock Option [Member]

Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share, Amount

6,072,368

6,233,150

2,693,237

Warrant [Member]

Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share, Amount

6,301,216

6,566,216

7,202,216

Restricted Stock Awards [Member]

Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share, Amount

7,084

321,252

Restricted Stock [Member]

Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share, Amount

114,582

550,000

Series A Preferred Stock [Member]

Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share, Amount

^[1]

847,000

Series B Preferred Stock [Member]

Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share, Amount

^[1]

7,378,241

7,946,673

[1]	on an as-converted basis

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

SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING PRACTICES (Details 2) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Compensation Cost, Total	$ 11,968	$ 18,904	$ 8,523
Research and Development Expense [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Compensation Cost, Total	5,270	3,267	2,248
General and Administrative Expense [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Compensation Cost, Total	$ 6,698	$ 15,637	$ 6,275

SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING PRACTICES (Details 3) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Compensation Cost, Total	$ 11,968	$ 18,904	$ 8,523
Employee Stock Option [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Compensation Cost, Total	10,862	16,453	6,752
Restricted Stock Awards [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Compensation Cost, Total	34	989	1,771
Restricted Stock [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Compensation Cost, Total	$ 1,072	$ 1,462	$ 0

SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING PRACTICES (Details Textual)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2017
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, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Cash and Cash Equivalents, at Carrying Value	$ 145,373	$ 106,717	$ 33,587	$ 44,909
Available-for-sale Securities	0	59,753
Commercial Paper [Member]
Available-for-sale Securities	0	29,178
Corporate Debt Securities [Member]
Available-for-sale Securities	0	26,578
US Government Debt Securities [Member]
Available-for-sale Securities	0	3,997
Demand Deposits [Member]
Cash and Cash Equivalents, at Carrying Value	54,092	76,071
Money Market Funds [Member]
Cash and Cash Equivalents, at Carrying Value	$ 91,281	$ 30,646

CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS, AND SHORT-TERM INVESTMENTS (Details 1) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
Amortized Cost		$ 90,370
Gross Unrealized Gains		61
Gross Unrealized Losses		(32)
Fair Value		90,399
Corporate Debt Securities [Member]
Amortized Cost		26,606
Gross Unrealized Gains		1
Gross Unrealized Losses		(29)
Fair Value		26,578
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	$ 91,281	30,646
Gross Unrealized Gains	0	0
Gross Unrealized Losses	0	0
Fair Value	$ 91,281	$ 30,646

BALANCE SHEET COMPONENTS (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
Total Property and equipment, cost	$ 5,483	$ 4,455
Less: Accumulated depreciation and amortization	(3,033)	(2,081)
Property and equipment, net	2,450	2,374
Lab Equipment [Member]
Total Property and equipment, cost	3,207	2,405
Computer Equipment [Member]
Total Property and equipment, cost	349	245
Office Furniture and Equipment [Member]
Total Property and equipment, cost	188	148
Leasehold Improvements [Member]
Total Property and equipment, cost	1,726	1,381
Construction in Progress [Member]
Total Property and equipment, cost	$ 13	$ 276

BALANCE SHEET COMPONENTS (Details 1) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
Accrued payroll and employee related expenses	$ 2,613	$ 1,581
Legal and related services	935	927
Clinical related	3,310	614
Manufacturing related	876	437
Deferred rent	430	422
Accrued other	496	124
Accrued liabilities	$ 8,660	$ 4,105

BALANCE SHEET COMPONENTS (Details Textual) - USD ($) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Depreciation, Total	$ 1.0	$ 1.0	$ 1.0

STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Shares Under Warrants
Outstanding, beginning balance
Outstanding, ending balance	6,072,368
Weighted Average Exercise Price
Outstanding, beginning balance
Outstanding, ending balance	$ 7.42
Weighted Average Remaining Contractual Life
Outstanding	7 years 10 months 10 days
Aggregate Intrinsic Value
Outstanding, ending balance	$ 6,199
Warrant [Member]
Shares Under Warrants
Outstanding, beginning balance	6,566,216	7,202,216	11,084,426
Issued	0	0	0
Exercised	(265,000)	(592,132)	(3,882,210)
Expired/Cancelled	0	(43,868)	0
Outstanding, ending balance	6,301,216	6,566,216	7,202,216
Weighted Average Exercise Price
Outstanding, beginning balance	$ 2.51	$ 2.51	$ 2.51
Granted	0	0	0
Exercised	2.5	2.50	2.50
Expired/Cancelled	0	2.50	0
Outstanding, ending balance	$ 2.51	$ 2.51	$ 2.51
Weighted Average Remaining Contractual Life
Outstanding	9 months 18 days
Aggregate Intrinsic Value
Outstanding, ending balance	$ 34,651

STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY (Details Textual) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands		1 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	Jun. 07, 2016	Sep. 25, 2017	Jun. 30, 2016	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Class of Stock [Line Items]
Stock Issued During Period, Shares, New Issues		8,846,154
Proceeds from Issuance of Common Stock		$ 53,700		$ 53,662	$ 95,685	$ 68,307
Shares Issued, Price Per Share		$ 6.50
Other Preferred Stock Dividends and Adjustments				$ 0	$ 49,454	$ 0
Common Stock [Member]
Class of Stock [Line Items]
Stock Issued During Period, Shares, New Issues				8,846,154		9,200,000
Conversion of Stock, Shares Converted				568,432	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				0	4,000	11,306
Conversion of Stock, Shares Converted				0	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 Converted				568,432	3,421,960
Preferred Stock, Shares Authorized				11,500,000	11,500,000
Preferred Stock, Par or Stated Value Per Share				$ 0.001	$ 0.001
Convertible Price Per Shares				$ 4.75
Preferred Stock, Shares Outstanding				7,378,241	7,946,673
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	1 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Jan. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Number of Options
Outstanding, beginning balance	6,072,368
Outstanding, ending balance		6,072,368
Exercisable		2,769,205
Weighted Average Exercise Price
Outstanding, beginning balance	$ 7.42
Outstanding, ending balance		$ 7.42
Exercisable		$ 7.96
Weighted Average Remaining Contractual Life
Outstanding		7 years 10 months 10 days
Exercisable		6 years 4 months 24 days
Aggregate Intrinsic Value
Outstanding, beginning balance	$ 6,199
Exercisable		$ 2,457
Employee Stock Option [Member]
Number of Options
Outstanding, beginning balance	6,072,368	6,233,150	2,693,237	1,857,877
Granted		2,188,800	4,407,983	1,171,984
Exercised		(1,011,284)	(100,480)	(42,387)
Expired/Forfeited		(1,338,298)	(767,590)	(294,237)
Outstanding, ending balance		6,072,368	6,233,150	2,693,237
Exercisable		2,769,205	2,496,695
Weighted Average Exercise Price
Outstanding, beginning balance	$ 7.42	$ 7.24	$ 8.12	$ 7.31
Granted		6.68	6.86	8.12
Exercised		5.55	6.23	0
Expired/Forfeited		6.79	8.12	2.88
Outstanding, ending balance		7.42	7.24	$ 8.12
Exercisable		$ 7.96	$ 7.35
Weighted Average Remaining Contractual Life
Outstanding		7 years 10 months 24 days
Exercisable		6 years 4 months 24 days	4 years 1 month 6 days
Aggregate Intrinsic Value
Outstanding, beginning balance		$ 6,199
Exercisable		$ 2,457	$ 1,839

STOCK BASED COMPENSATION (Details 1)	12 Months Ended
STOCK BASED COMPENSATION (Details 1)	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
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	2.34%	2.16%
Expected term (in years)	6 years 6 months	6 years 6 months
Expected volatility	209.69%	213.60%	218.00%
Minimum [Member]
Risk-free interest rate	1.72%	1.18%
Expected term (in years)	5 years 1 month 17 days	5 years 25 days
Expected volatility	190.46%	189.40%	207.00%

STOCK BASED COMPENSATION (Details 2) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2017 USD ($) $ / shares shares
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Outstanding, Number, Beginning Balance \| shares	6,072,368
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Outstanding, Weighted Average Remaining Contractual Term	7 years 10 months 10 days
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Outstanding, Weighted Average Exercise Price, Beginning Balance \| $ / shares	$ 7.42
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Vested and Expected to Vest, Outstanding, Aggregate Intrinsic Value \| $	$ 6,199
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Exercisable, Number \| shares	2,769,205
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Exercisable, Weighted Average Remaining Contractual Term	6 years 4 months 24 days
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Exercisable, Weighted Average Exercise Price \| $ / shares	$ 7.96
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Vested and Expected to Vest, Exercisable, Aggregate Intrinsic Value \| $	$ 2,457
Range Of Exercise Prices $5.05 - $5.86 [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Outstanding, Number, Beginning Balance \| shares	959,200
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Outstanding, Weighted Average Remaining Contractual Term	8 years 1 month 28 days
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Outstanding, Weighted Average Exercise Price, Beginning Balance \| $ / shares	$ 5.32
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Exercisable, Number \| shares	390,000
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Exercisable, Weighted Average Remaining Contractual Term	6 years 3 months 22 days
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Exercisable, Weighted Average Exercise Price \| $ / shares	$ 5.43
Range Of Exercise Prices $5.87 - $6.58 [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Outstanding, Number, Beginning Balance \| shares	932,550
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Outstanding, Weighted Average Remaining Contractual Term	7 years 10 months 24 days
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Outstanding, Weighted Average Exercise Price, Beginning Balance \| $ / shares	$ 6.02
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Exercisable, Number \| shares	421,712
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Exercisable, Weighted Average Remaining Contractual Term	6 years 9 months 7 days
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Exercisable, Weighted Average Exercise Price \| $ / shares	$ 6.08
Range Of Exercise Prices $6.59 - $7.43 [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Outstanding, Number, Beginning Balance \| shares	897,500
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Outstanding, Weighted Average Remaining Contractual Term	7 years 6 months 4 days
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Outstanding, Weighted Average Exercise Price, Beginning Balance \| $ / shares	$ 6.99
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Exercisable, Number \| shares	323,790
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Exercisable, Weighted Average Remaining Contractual Term	4 years 3 months
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Exercisable, Weighted Average Exercise Price \| $ / shares	$ 6.94
Range Of Exercise Prices $7.44 - $7.57 [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Outstanding, Number, Beginning Balance \| shares	1,358,166
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Outstanding, Weighted Average Remaining Contractual Term	8 years 10 months 28 days
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Outstanding, Weighted Average Exercise Price, Beginning Balance \| $ / shares	$ 7.52
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Exercisable, Number \| shares	434,370
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Exercisable, Weighted Average Remaining Contractual Term	8 years 8 months 1 day
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Exercisable, Weighted Average Exercise Price \| $ / shares	$ 7.54
Range Of Exercise Prices $7.58 - $9.00 [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Outstanding, Number, Beginning Balance \| shares	864,286
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Outstanding, Weighted Average Remaining Contractual Term	7 years 4 months 13 days
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Outstanding, Weighted Average Exercise Price, Beginning Balance \| $ / shares	$ 7.83
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Exercisable, Number \| shares	401,273
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Exercisable, Weighted Average Remaining Contractual Term	5 years 6 months
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Exercisable, Weighted Average Exercise Price \| $ / shares	$ 7.81
Range Of Exercise Prices $9.01 - $117 [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Outstanding, Number, Beginning Balance \| shares	1,060,666
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Outstanding, Weighted Average Remaining Contractual Term	6 years 10 months 24 days
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Outstanding, Weighted Average Exercise Price, Beginning Balance \| $ / shares	$ 10.46
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Exercisable, Number \| shares	798,060
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Exercisable, Weighted Average Remaining Contractual Term	6 years 3 months 29 days
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Exercisable, Weighted Average Exercise Price \| $ / shares	$ 10.90

STOCK BASED COMPENSATION (Details 3) - $ / shares	12 Months Ended
STOCK BASED COMPENSATION (Details 3) - $ / shares	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Number of Shares
Non-vested shares, Beginning Balance	7,084	321,252	782,500
Granted	0	0	15,000
Vested	(7,084)	(274,167)	(284,748)
Forfeited	0	(40,001)	(191,500)
Non-vested shares, Ending balance	0	7,084	321,252
Weighted Average Grant Date Fair Value
Weighted Average Grant Date Fair Value, Beginning Balance	$ 6.48	$ 6.96	$ 7.04
Granted	0	0	8.44
Vested	(6.48)	6.90	4.31
Forfeited	0	7.02	6.81
Weighted Average Grant Date Fair Value, Ending balance	$ 0	$ 6.48	$ 6.96

STOCK BASED COMPENSATION (Details Textual) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Millions		1 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	Apr. 10, 2015	Jun. 30, 2016	Mar. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Aug. 16, 2016	Nov. 30, 2014	Aug. 20, 2014	Aug. 31, 2013	Oct. 14, 2011
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Allocated Share-based Compensation Expense				$ 0.0	$ 1.0	$ 1.8
Employee Service Share-based Compensation, Nonvested Awards, Compensation Cost Not yet Recognized, Total				$ 19.5
Employee Service Share-based Compensation, Nonvested Awards, Compensation Cost Not yet Recognized, Period for Recognition				1 year 10 months 24 days
Employee Service Share-based Compensation, Nonvested Awards, Compensation Not yet Recognized, Stock Options				$ 10.9	16.5	6.8
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Exercises in Period, Intrinsic Value				$ 2.6	$ 0.2	$ 0.0
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Equity Instruments Other than Options, Grants in Period				0	0	15,000
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Equity Instruments Other than Options, Grants in Period, Weighted Average Grant Date Fair Value				$ 0	$ 0	$ 8.44
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Equity Instruments Other than Options, Vested in Period				7,084	274,167	284,748
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Grants in Period, Weighted Average Grant Date Fair Value				$ 6.58	$ 6.78	$ 8.77
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, Period for Recognition		36 months
Restricted Stock [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Allocated Share-based Compensation Expense				$ 1.1	$ 1.5
Employee Service Share-based Compensation, Nonvested Awards, Compensation Cost Not yet Recognized, Total				$ 0.7
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
2011 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 Available for Grant				725,267
Common Stock, Capital Shares Reserved for Future Issuance									1,900,000	1,700,000	180,000
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Description			an amendment to increase the number options or other awards that can be granted to any one person during a twelve (12) month period from 50,000 shares to 300,000 shares
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							9,000,000	2,350,000
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Number of Additional Shares Authorized	4,000,000
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Number of Shares Available for Grant				2,516,992

EMPLOYEE BENEFIT PLAN (Details Textual) - USD ($) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Defined Contribution Plan, Cost Recognized	$ 0.3	$ 0.1	$ 0.0

SEPARATION AGREEMENTS (Details Textual) - USD ($) $ in Millions	1 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	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, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
Deferred income tax asset:
Net operating loss carry forward	$ 33,300	$ 23,912
Stock-based compensation	4,568	9,562
Tax credit carryforwards	9,323	8,167
Reserves and accruals	733	139
Deferred tax assets before valuation allowance	47,924	41,780
Less: valuation allowance	(47,849)	(41,402)
Net deferred income tax assets	75	378
Deferred tax liabilities:
Depreciation and amortization	(75)	(378)
Net deferred tax assets (liabilities)	$ 0	$ 0

INCOME TAXES (Details 1)	12 Months Ended
INCOME TAXES (Details 1)	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Federal statutory tax rate	(34.00%)	(34.00%)	(34.00%)
Orphan Drug & Research credits	0.00%	(8.00%)	(12.00%)
Permanent and other differences	4.00%	4.00%	10.00%
Tax rate change	23.00%	0.00%	0.00%
State tax, net of federal benefit	0.00%	(4.00%)	(5.00%)
Effective Income Tax Rate Reconciliation Expected Rate Total	(7.00%)	(42.00%)	(41.00%)
Valuation allowance	7.00%	42.00%	41.00%
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, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Federal:
Current	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0
Deferred	(7,391)	(19,050)	(9,724)
State and Local
Current	0	0	0
Deferred	944	(3,007)	(1,887)
Change in Valuation Allowance	6,447	22,057	11,611
Total income tax expense (benefit)	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0

INCOME TAXES (Details 3) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
INCOME TAXES (Details 3) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Unrecognized benefit-beginning of period	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0
Gross decreases-prior period tax positions	2,780	0	0
Gross increases-current period tax positions	1,331	0	0
Unrecognized benefit-end of period	$ 4,111	$ 0	$ 0

INCOME TAXES (Details Textual) - USD ($) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
INCOME TAXES (Details Textual) - USD ($) $ in Millions	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Income Tax Contingency [Line Items]
Valuation Allowance, Deferred Tax Asset, Increase (Decrease), Amount		$ 6.4	$ 22.1	$ 11.6
Increase (Decrease) in Deferred Income Taxes		$ 20.8
Effective Income Tax Rate Reconciliation, at Federal Statutory Income Tax Rate, Percent		34.00%	34.00%	34.00%
Scenario, Plan [Member]
Income Tax Contingency [Line Items]
Effective Income Tax Rate Reconciliation, at Federal Statutory Income Tax Rate, Percent	21.00%
Domestic Tax Authority [Member]
Income Tax Contingency [Line Items]
Operating Loss Carryforwards		$ 143.3
Operating Loss Carryforwards, Commencement Year		2027
Operating Loss Carryforwards, Expiration Year		2037
State and Local Jurisdiction [Member]
Income Tax Contingency [Line Items]
Operating Loss Carryforwards		$ 66.3
Operating Loss Carryforwards, Commencement Year		2030
Operating Loss Carryforwards, Expiration Year		2037

LICENSES AND AGREEMENTS (Details Textual) - USD ($) $ in Thousands		1 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	Sep. 14, 2016	Apr. 17, 2017	Nov. 30, 2016	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Research and Development Expense				$ 71,615	$ 26,941	$ 15,470
Research and Development Arrangement [Member]
Prepaid Expense, Current				1,400
Maximum [Member] \| Research and Development Arrangement [Member]
Research and Development Arrangement, Contract to Perform for Others, Costs Incurred, Gross		$ 14,200
KarolinskaUniversityHospital [Member]
Research and Development Expense				300	100
Payments For Clinical Trials Agreement				1,600	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				500
Exclusive Patent License Agreement [Member]
Research and Development Expense					400	400
Payments For Upfront Licensing Fee				800
Moffitt License Agreement [Member]
Payments For Upfront Licensing Fee				$ 100
Agreement Term				20 years
Cooperative Research and Development Agreement [Member]
Research and Development Expense				$ 2,000	1,800	2,000
Agreement Term				5 years
PolyBioCept, AB - Exclusive and Co-Exclusive License Agreement [Member]
Research and Development Expense				$ 200	2,700
Payments For Upfront Licensing Fee	2,500				2,500
Additional Milestone Payable	$ 8,700
Number Of Unregistered Common Stock To Be Issued	2,219,376
Reimbursement In 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				13,900	2,400
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
Research Collaboration and Clinical Grant Agreements with Moffitt [Member]
Research and Development Expense				$ 1,200	$ 700	$ 700

COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES (Details) $ in Thousands	Dec. 31, 2017 USD ($)
2018	$ 1,023
2019	700
2020	495
2021	169
Total	$ 2,387

COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES (Details Textual)		1 Months Ended			12 Months Ended
COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES (Details Textual)	Aug. 04, 2016 USD ($) ft²	Apr. 28, 2017 USD ($) ft²	Sep. 30, 2016 USD ($) ft²	Apr. 30, 2015 USD ($) ft²	Dec. 31, 2017 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($)	Jun. 05, 2017 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2014 a
License And Commitments [Line Items]
Operating Leases, Rent Expense					$ 1,000,000	$ 700,000	$ 300,000
Operating Leases, Future Minimum Payments Due					2,387,000
Tampa Lease [Member]
License And Commitments [Line Items]
Area of Land			8,673	6,043					5,115
Operating Leases, Rent Expense, Minimum Rentals			$ 20,000	$ 20,000
New York Lease [Member]
License And Commitments [Line Items]
Operating Leases, Future Minimum Payments Due								$ 9,000
Operating Leases, Rent Expense, Minimum Rentals					$ 18,000
San Carlos Lease [Member]
License And Commitments [Line Items]
Area of Land \| ft²	8,733
Lease Expiration Term	54 months
Operating Leases, Future Minimum Payments Due	$ 38,000
Operating Leases, Rent Expense, Sublease Rentals		$ 26,000
Teradata US, Inc [Member]
License And Commitments [Line Items]
Area of Land \| ft²		11,449

LEGAL PROCEEDINGS (Details Textual) $ in Millions			1 Months Ended		3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
LEGAL PROCEEDINGS (Details Textual) $ in Millions	Jun. 13, 2017 USD ($) shares	Jun. 03, 2016 USD ($)	Nov. 30, 2012 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2012 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2016 shares	Dec. 31, 2017 USD ($) shares	Dec. 31, 2016 shares	Dec. 31, 2015 shares	Apr. 08, 2016 USD ($)
Loss Contingency, Damages Sought, Value \| $		$ 0.5
Common Stock Registered For Resale \| shares							128,500
Number of share options or share units exercised during the current period. \| shares							128,500
Dr. Steven Fischkoff [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Grants in Period, Gross \| shares	150,000
Severance Pay And Retention Bonus \| $	$ 0.3
Warrant [Member]
Shares Sold Under Ineffective Registration \| shares					128,500
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Grants in Period, Gross \| shares						0	0	0
Minimum [Member]
Loss Contingency, Estimate of Possible Loss \| $									$ 1.5
Solomon Capital, LLC [Member]
Proceeds from Related Party Debt \| $			$ 0.2	$ 0.1
Debt Instrument, Convertible, Number of Equity Instruments						111,425
Solomon Capital, LLC [Member] \| Commercial Paper [Member]
Debt Instrument, Face Amount \| $						$ 0.2

QUARTERLY UNAUDITED RESULTS (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2017	Sep. 30, 2017	Jun. 30, 2017	Mar. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Sep. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2016	Mar. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Revenue	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0
Net loss attributable to common stockholders	$ (25,854)	$ (22,149)	$ (23,377)	$ (20,684)	$ (15,689)	$ (68,212)	$ (11,563)	$ (6,884)	$ (92,064)	$ (52,894)	$ (27,660)
Net loss per share, basic and diluted	$ (0.36)	$ (0.35)	$ (0.37)	$ (0.33)	$ (0.25)	$ (1.15)	$ (0.23)	$ (0.14)	$ (1.41)	$ (1.85)	$ (0.62)
Weighted average shares used in computing net loss per share, basic and diluted	72,794	63,332	62,457	62,286	62,130	59,113	51,082	48,548	65,242	55,268	44,410

RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS (Details Textual) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Millions		12 Months Ended
	Sep. 14, 2017	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Payments for Legal Services		$ 0.7	$ 0.8	$ 0.7
Due to Related Parties, Current		$ 0.1	$ 0.1
Board of Directors Chairman [Member]
Consulting Agreement,Term	3 years
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Number of Shares Authorized	150,000
Share-based Compensation Arrangements by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Grants in Period, Weighted Average Exercise Price	$ 7.30
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Terms of Award	The granted stock options vest in 12 quarterly installments (with 1/12th of the option shares having vested on the date of grant).

SUBSEQUENT EVENT (Details Textual) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands	1 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	Jan. 31, 2018	Sep. 25, 2017	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Stock Issued During Period, Value, New Issues			$ 53,662		$ 68,307
Shares Issued, Price Per Share		$ 6.50
Stock Issued During Period, Shares, New Issues		8,846,154
Proceeds from Issuance of Common Stock		$ 53,700	$ 53,662	$ 95,685	$ 68,307
Subsequent Event [Member] \| Underwriting Options [Member] \| IPO [Member]
Stock Issued During Period, Value, New Issues	$ 172,500
Shares Issued, Price Per Share	$ 11.50
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Exercises in Period	1,956,521
Stock Issued During Period, Shares, New Issues	15,000,000
Proceeds from Issuance of Common Stock	$ 161,700