Nature of operations

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2014

Accounting Policies [Abstract]

Nature of operations

1. Nature of operations

Aquinox Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and its wholly owned subsidiary, Aquinox Pharmaceuticals Inc., (consolidated and combined the “Company”—see Note 2 Basis of presentation) are a clinical stage pharmaceutical company discovering and developing oral drug candidates to treat inflammation and cancer. The Company’s primary focus is the development of anti-inflammatory product candidates targeting SHIP1 which is a key regulator of a cellular signaling pathway in immune cells. Aquinox Pharmaceuticals (USA) Inc. was incorporated on May 31, 2007 in the State of Delaware, United States. On January 27, 2014, Aquinox Pharmaceuticals (USA) Inc. changed its name to Aquinox Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (“Aquinox USA”). Aquinox Pharmaceuticals Inc. (“AQXP Canada”), formerly 6175813 Canada Inc., was incorporated under the Canada Business Corporations Act on December 26, 2003 and operates in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.