CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS (USD $)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2009
Revenue:
Service revenue	$ 0	$ 0	$ 9,400,397
Licensing revenue	250,000	100,000	100,000
Total revenue	250,000	100,000	9,500,397
Expenses:
Research and development	15,491,301	8,506,937	7,541,998
General and administrative	7,317,169	8,235,993	9,127,845
Depreciation and amortization	95,517	107,666	475,316
Total expense	22,903,987	16,850,596	17,145,159
Loss before other income	(22,653,987)	(16,750,596)	(7,644,762)
Other income:
Interest and dividend income	207,217	303,592	349,490
Other income, net	205,194	95,827	93,950
Gain on warrant derivative liability	7,915,027	933,420	656,905
Gain on sale of affiliate's shares - RXi Pharmaceutical	0	15,826,217	1,224,951
Net (loss) profit before provision for income taxes	(14,326,549)	408,460	(5,319,466)
Income tax benefit (expense)	(97,996)	0	519,158
Net (loss) profit	$ (14,424,545)	$ 408,460	$ (4,800,308)
Basic and diluted (loss) profit per share (in dollars per share)	$ (0.11)	$ 0.00	$ (0.05)
Basic weighted average shares outstanding (in shares)	125,551,261	109,484,492	99,978,124
Diluted weighted average shares outstanding (in shares)	125,551,261	111,442,278	99,978,124