00100 - Statement - Consolidated Balance Sheets link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 00200 - Statement - Consolidated Statements of Net Loss and Comprehensive Loss link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 00400 - Statement - Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 40501 - Disclosure - ACCRUED LIABILITIES (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 40606 - Disclosure - LICENSE AGREEMENTS AND COMMITMENTS - Lease maturities (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 40608 - Disclosure - LICENSE AGREEMENTS AND COMMITMENTS - Lease maturities (Details) (calc 2) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 40901 - Disclosure - RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 41001 - Disclosure - INCOME TAXES - Expense (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 41002 - Disclosure - INCOME TAXES - Reconciliation of Income Taxes (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 41003 - Disclosure - INCOME TAXES - Deferred tax assets/(liabilities) (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 00300 - Statement - Consolidated Statements of Changes in Stockholders' Equity link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 30603 - Disclosure - LICENSE AGREEMENTS AND COMMITMENTS (Tables) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 30803 - Disclosure - SHARE-BASED COMPENSATION (Tables) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 40202 - Disclosure - BASIS OF PRESENTATION - Secondary public offering (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 40301 - Disclosure - SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES - Fair Value Measurement (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 40303 - Disclosure - SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES - Property and Equipment (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 40304 - Disclosure - SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES - Income Taxes (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 40305 - Disclosure - SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES - Revenue Recognition (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 40306 - Disclosure - SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES - Research and development (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 40308 - Disclosure - SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES - Recently issued accounting pronouncements (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 40402 - Disclosure - NET LOSS PER SHARE - Anti-dilutive securities (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 40601 - Disclosure - LICENSE AGREEMENTS AND COMMITMENTS - MSK, CD33 and MabVax License Agreement (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 40602 - Disclosure - LICENSE AGREEMENTS AND COMMITMENTS - SADA License Agreement (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 40603 - Disclosure - LICENSE AGREEMENTS AND COMMITMENTS - Other agreements (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 40604 - Disclosure - LICENSE AGREEMENTS AND COMMITMENTS - Lease agreements (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 40605 - Disclosure - LICENSE AGREEMENTS AND COMMITMENTS - Lease costs (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 40608 - Disclosure - LICENSE AGREEMENTS AND COMMITMENTS - Lease term and discount rate (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 40702 - Disclosure - STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY - Stock grant agreements with non-employees, Stock (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 40703 - Disclosure - STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY - Issuance of common stock (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 40801 - Disclosure - SHARE-BASED COMPENSATION - 2015 Plan (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 40802 - Disclosure - SHARE-BASED COMPENSATION - 2018 Plan (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 40803 - Disclosure - SHARE-BASED COMPENSATION - Stock option expense (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 40804 - Disclosure - SHARE-BASED COMPENSATION - Stock Option Valuation (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 40805 - Disclosure - SHARE-BASED COMPENSATION - Stock option activity (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 40806 - Disclosure - SHARE-BASED COMPENSATION - Stock option unrecognized compensation (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 40807 - Disclosure - SHARE-BASED COMPENSATION - Restricted Stock Unit Activity (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 41005 - Disclosure - INCOME TAXES - Net Operating Loss Carryforwards (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 41101 - Disclosure - OTHER BENEFITS (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 41201 - Disclosure - SUBSEQUENT EVENTS (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 00090 - Document - Document and Entity Information link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 00105 - Statement - Consolidated Balance Sheets (Parenthetical) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 10101 - Disclosure - ORGANIZATION AND DESCRIPTION OF BUSINESS link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 10201 - Disclosure - BASIS OF PRESENTATION link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 10301 - Disclosure - SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 10401 - Disclosure - NET LOSS PER SHARE link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 10501 - Disclosure - ACCRUED LIABILITIES link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 10601 - Disclosure - LICENSE AGREEMENTS AND COMMITMENTS link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 10701 - Disclosure - STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 10801 - Disclosure - SHARE-BASED COMPENSATION link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 10901 - Disclosure - RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 11001 - Disclosure - INCOME TAXES link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 11101 - Disclosure - OTHER BENEFITS link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 11201 - Disclosure - SUBSEQUENT EVENTS link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 11301 - Disclosure - QUARTERLY CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL DATA (unaudited) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 20302 - Disclosure - SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (Policies) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 30303 - Disclosure - SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (Tables) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 30403 - Disclosure - NET LOSS PER SHARE (Tables) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 30503 - Disclosure - ACCRUED LIABILITIES (Tables) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 31003 - Disclosure - INCOME TAXES (Tables) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 31303 - Disclosure - QUARTERLY CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL DATA (unaudited) (Tables) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 40201 - Disclosure - BASIS OF PRESENTATION - Accumulated deficit and cash (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 40302 - Disclosure - SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES - Operating Leases (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 40307 - Disclosure - SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES - Other policies (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 40401 - Disclosure - NET LOSS PER SHARE - Basic and diluted (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 40701 - Disclosure - STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY - Authorized, Common and Preferred Stock (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 41004 - Disclosure - INCOME TAXES - Uncertain tax positions (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 41301 - Disclosure - QUARTERLY CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL DATA (unaudited) (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink