Note 15 - Segments - Segment Information (Details) - USD ($)
   | 
3 Months Ended | 
9 Months Ended | 
 | 
Sep. 30, 2019  | 
Jun. 30, 2019  | 
Mar. 31, 2019  | 
Sep. 30, 2018  | 
Jun. 30, 2018  | 
Mar. 31, 2018  | 
Sep. 30, 2019  | 
Sep. 30, 2018  | 
Dec. 31, 2018  | 
| Revenue from contract with customer | 
 | 
$ 5,000
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
$ 22,000
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
$ 35,000
 | 
$ 303,000
 | 
 
 | 
| Grant and other revenue | 
 | 
231,916
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
209,146
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
514,589
 | 
762,549
 | 
 
 | 
| Revenue | 
 | 
236,811
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
231,458
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
538,527
 | 
1,050,030
 | 
 
 | 
| Cost of revenue | 
 | 
195
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
38,101
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
6,559
 | 
73,811
 | 
 
 | 
| Research and development expenses | 
 | 
1,801,558
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
1,225,770
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
3,612,783
 | 
3,367,444
 | 
 
 | 
| Selling, general and administrative expenses, excluding depreciation and amortization | 
[1] | 
1,485,207
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
2,651,113
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
5,001,818
 | 
6,141,386
 | 
 
 | 
| Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization, Nonproduction, Total | 
[2] | 
34,289
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
37,590
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
107,794
 | 
113,088
 | 
 
 | 
| (Loss) income from operations (3) | 
[3] | 
(3,084,438)
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
(3,721,116)
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
(8,190,427)
 | 
(8,645,699)
 | 
 
 | 
| Other income (4) | 
[4] | 
10,334
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
(24,534)
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
17,456
 | 
(4,284,014)
 | 
 
 | 
| Provision for income taxes | 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
(76,259)
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
(707)
 | 
(65,330)
 | 
 
 | 
| Net (loss) income | 
 | 
(3,074,104)
 | 
$ (2,673,179)
 | 
$ (2,429,061)
 | 
(3,821,909)
 | 
$ (2,394,057)
 | 
$ (6,737,962)
 | 
(8,176,343)
 | 
(12,953,928)
 | 
 
 | 
| Total assets, net of depreciation and amortization | 
 | 
4,821,656
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
4,821,656
 | 
 
 | 
$ 7,021,527
 | 
| Capital expenditures | 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
16,152
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
19,317
 | 
 
 | 
| Net income (loss) | 
 | 
(3,074,104)
 | 
$ (2,673,179)
 | 
$ (2,429,061)
 | 
(3,821,909)
 | 
$ (2,394,057)
 | 
$ (6,737,962)
 | 
(8,176,343)
 | 
(12,953,928)
 | 
 
 | 
| Net loss from continuing operations | 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
(8,173,678)
 | 
(12,995,043)
 | 
 
 | 
| Loss from discontinued operations, net of tax | 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
(2,665)
 | 
(1,938)
 | 
 
 | 
| Gain on sale of discontinued operations, net of tax | 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
43,053
 | 
 
 | 
| UNITED STATES | 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
| Total assets, net of depreciation and amortization | 
 | 
4,819,050
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
9,089,645
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
4,819,050
 | 
9,089,645
 | 
 
 | 
| Non-US [Member] | 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
| Total assets, net of depreciation and amortization | 
 | 
2,606
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
19,397
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
2,606
 | 
19,397
 | 
 
 | 
| Royalty [Member] | 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
| Revenue from contract with customer | 
 | 
4,895
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
2,382
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
13,985
 | 
9,842
 | 
 
 | 
| License [Member] | 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
| Revenue from contract with customer | 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
19,930
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
9,953
 | 
277,639
 | 
 
 | 
| Diagnostics Segment [Member] | 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
| Grant and other revenue | 
 | 
77,049
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
65,505
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
309,670
 | 
454,830
 | 
 
 | 
| Revenue | 
 | 
81,944
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
87,817
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
333,608
 | 
742,311
 | 
 
 | 
| Cost of revenue | 
 | 
195
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
38,101
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
6,559
 | 
73,811
 | 
 
 | 
| Research and development expenses | 
 | 
1,678,423
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
711,355
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
3,194,468
 | 
2,409,524
 | 
 
 | 
| Selling, general and administrative expenses, excluding depreciation and amortization | 
[1] | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
| Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization, Nonproduction, Total | 
[2] | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
| (Loss) income from operations (3) | 
[3] | 
(1,596,674)
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
(661,639)
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
(2,867,419)
 | 
(1,741,024)
 | 
 
 | 
| Other income (4) | 
[4] | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
| Provision for income taxes | 
 | 
(72)
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
(10,081)
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
(248)
 | 
(8,797)
 | 
 
 | 
| Net (loss) income | 
 | 
(1,596,746)
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
(671,720)
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
(2,870,332)
 | 
(1,708,706)
 | 
 
 | 
| Capital expenditures | 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
| Net income (loss) | 
 | 
(1,596,746)
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
(671,720)
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
(2,870,332)
 | 
(1,708,706)
 | 
 
 | 
| Net loss from continuing operations | 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
(2,867,667)
 | 
(1,749,821)
 | 
 
 | 
| Loss from discontinued operations, net of tax | 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
(2,665)
 | 
(1,938)
 | 
 
 | 
| Gain on sale of discontinued operations, net of tax | 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
43,053
 | 
 
 | 
| Diagnostics Segment [Member] | UNITED STATES | 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
| Total assets, net of depreciation and amortization | 
 | 
36,811
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
117,722
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
36,811
 | 
117,722
 | 
 
 | 
| Diagnostics Segment [Member] | Non-US [Member] | 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
| Total assets, net of depreciation and amortization | 
 | 
2,606
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
18,239
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
2,606
 | 
18,239
 | 
 
 | 
| Diagnostics Segment [Member] | Royalty [Member] | 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
| Revenue from contract with customer | 
 | 
4,895
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
2,382
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
13,985
 | 
9,842
 | 
 
 | 
| Diagnostics Segment [Member] | License [Member] | 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
| Revenue from contract with customer | 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
19,930
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
9,953
 | 
277,639
 | 
 
 | 
| Therapeutics Segment [Member] | 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
| Grant and other revenue | 
 | 
154,867
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
143,641
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
204,919
 | 
307,719
 | 
 
 | 
| Revenue | 
 | 
154,867
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
143,641
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
204,919
 | 
307,719
 | 
 
 | 
| Cost of revenue | 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
| Research and development expenses | 
 | 
123,135
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
514,415
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
418,315
 | 
957,920
 | 
 
 | 
| Selling, general and administrative expenses, excluding depreciation and amortization | 
[1] | 
1,052
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
20,532
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
15,828
 | 
45,769
 | 
 
 | 
| Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization, Nonproduction, Total | 
[2] | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
| (Loss) income from operations (3) | 
[3] | 
30,680
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
(391,306)
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
(229,224)
 | 
(695,970)
 | 
 
 | 
| Other income (4) | 
[4] | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
| Provision for income taxes | 
 | 
16
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
(3,879)
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
(20)
 | 
(3,517)
 | 
 
 | 
| Net (loss) income | 
 | 
30,696
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
(395,185)
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
(229,244)
 | 
(699,487)
 | 
 
 | 
| Capital expenditures | 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
| Net income (loss) | 
 | 
30,696
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
(395,185)
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
(229,244)
 | 
(699,487)
 | 
 
 | 
| Net loss from continuing operations | 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
(229,244)
 | 
(699,487)
 | 
 
 | 
| Loss from discontinued operations, net of tax | 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
| Gain on sale of discontinued operations, net of tax | 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
| Therapeutics Segment [Member] | UNITED STATES | 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
| Total assets, net of depreciation and amortization | 
 | 
93,860
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
72,622
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
93,860
 | 
72,622
 | 
 
 | 
| Therapeutics Segment [Member] | Non-US [Member] | 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
| Total assets, net of depreciation and amortization | 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
| Therapeutics Segment [Member] | Royalty [Member] | 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
| Revenue from contract with customer | 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
| Therapeutics Segment [Member] | License [Member] | 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
| Revenue from contract with customer | 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
| Corporate Segment [Member] | 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
| Grant and other revenue | 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
| Revenue | 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
| Cost of revenue | 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
| Research and development expenses | 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
| Selling, general and administrative expenses, excluding depreciation and amortization | 
[1] | 
1,484,155
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
2,630,581
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
4,985,990
 | 
6,095,617
 | 
 
 | 
| Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization, Nonproduction, Total | 
[2] | 
34,289
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
37,590
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
107,794
 | 
113,088
 | 
 
 | 
| (Loss) income from operations (3) | 
[3] | 
(1,518,444)
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
(2,668,171)
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
(5,093,784)
 | 
(6,208,705)
 | 
 
 | 
| Other income (4) | 
[4] | 
10,334
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
(24,534)
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
17,456
 | 
(4,284,014)
 | 
 
 | 
| Provision for income taxes | 
 | 
55
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
(62,299)
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
(439)
 | 
(53,017)
 | 
 
 | 
| Net (loss) income | 
 | 
(1,508,055)
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
(2,755,004)
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
(5,076,767)
 | 
(10,545,736)
 | 
 
 | 
| Capital expenditures | 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
16,152
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
19,317
 | 
 
 | 
| Net income (loss) | 
 | 
(1,508,055)
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
(2,755,004)
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
(5,076,767)
 | 
(10,545,736)
 | 
 
 | 
| Net loss from continuing operations | 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
(5,076,767)
 | 
(10,545,736)
 | 
 
 | 
| Loss from discontinued operations, net of tax | 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
| Gain on sale of discontinued operations, net of tax | 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
| Corporate Segment [Member] | UNITED STATES | 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
| Total assets, net of depreciation and amortization | 
 | 
4,688,379
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
8,899,301
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
4,688,379
 | 
8,899,301
 | 
 
 | 
| Corporate Segment [Member] | Non-US [Member] | 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
| Total assets, net of depreciation and amortization | 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
1,158
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
1,158
 | 
 
 | 
| Corporate Segment [Member] | Royalty [Member] | 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
| Revenue from contract with customer | 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
| Corporate Segment [Member] | License [Member] | 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
| Revenue from contract with customer | 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 | 
 |