Note 12 - Stock Options and Employee Stock Purchase Plan (Tables)
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014
Disclosure of Compensation Related Costs, Share-based Payments [Abstract]  
Schedule of Employee Service Share-based Compensation, Allocation of Recognized Period Costs [Table Text Block]
   
Years Ended December 31,
 
   
2012
   
2013
   
2014
 
Research and development
  $ 511,860     $ 524,495     $ 1,604,215  
General and administrative
    531,129       528,668       1,409,068  
                         
Total stock-based compensation expense
  $ 1,042,989     $ 1,053,163     $ 3,013,283  
Schedule of Share-based Payment Award, Stock Options, Valuation Assumptions [Table Text Block]
   
2012
   
2013
   
2014
 
Risk-free interest rate
    1.20 %     2.12 %     2.26 %
Expected dividend yield
    0 %     0 %     0 %
Expected option term (in years)
    7       7       7  
Expected volatility
    94 %     94 %     96 %
Schedule of Share-based Compensation, Stock Options, Activity [Table Text Block]
   
Number of
Shares
   
Weighted
Average Exercise
Price
   
Weighted
Average
Contractual
Term
(in years)
   
Aggregate
Intrinsic
Value
 
Outstanding as of December 31, 2013
    1,957,069     $ 5.48              
Granted
    967,903     $ 6.70              
Exercised
    (3,050 )   $ 4.20              
Cancelled
    (74,825 )   $ 4.94              
                             
Outstanding as of December 31, 2014
    2,847,097     $ 5.89       8.65     $ 11,796,921  
                                 
Exercisable as of December 31, 2014
    897,294     $ 5.04       7.54     $ 4,509,931  
                                 
Vested and expected to vest as of December 31, 2014
    2,716,363     $ 5.86       8.62     $ 11,255,225  
Schedule of Share-based Compensation, Shares Authorized under Stock Option Plans, by Exercise Price Range [Table Text Block]
Exercise Price or Range of Exercise Price
 
Options Outstanding
   
Weighted Average
Contractual Life
(Years)
   
Options Exercisable
 
  $4.20       553,434       6.64       521,718  
  $5.82       1,219,689       8.85       333,785  
$5.98 to $6.62     869,525       9.50        
$7.32 to $11.09     203,172       9.10       40,514  
$35.30 to $36.66     1,271       6.70       1,271  
$135.78 to $4,615.92     6       0.83       6  
                             
          2,847,097       8.65       897,294