Annual increase in lease rate

No definition available.

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Namespace Prefix:	pstv_
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Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Compensatory damages and operational.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Lease commencement date.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	pstv_
Data Type:	xbrli:dateItemType
Balance Type:	na
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- Definition

Master services agreement date.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	pstv_
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Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Master services agreement initial term.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Master services agreement Terms description.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	pstv_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
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- Definition

Operating leases, expiry year.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Data Type:	xbrli:gYearItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of contractual obligation, including but not limited to, long-term debt, capital lease obligations, operating lease obligations, purchase obligations, and other commitments.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Discount rate used by lessee to determine present value of operating lease payments.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/exampleRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 842
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 3
-Subparagraph (c)(3)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121609121&loc=SL77918673-209980

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Indicates (true false) whether lessee has option to extend operating lease.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 842
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 3
-Subparagraph (a)(3)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121609121&loc=SL77918673-209980

+ Details

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Data Type:	xbrli:booleanItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of lessee's undiscounted obligation for lease payment for operating lease.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 842
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 6
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121609121&loc=SL77918701-209980

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Description of terms and conditions of option to extend lessee's operating lease. Includes, but is not limited to, information about option recognized as part of right-of-use asset and lease liability.

+ References

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Term of lessee's operating lease renewal, in 'PnYnMnDTnHnMnS' format, for example, 'P1Y5M13D' represents reported fact of one year, five months, and thirteen days.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 842
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 3
-Subparagraph (a)(3)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121609121&loc=SL77918673-209980

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Term of lessee's operating lease, in 'PnYnMnDTnHnMnS' format, for example, 'P1Y5M13D' represents reported fact of one year, five months, and thirteen days.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LesseeOperatingLeaseTermOfContract
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of litigation expense, including but not limited to legal, forensic, accounting, and investigative fees.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Rental expense for the reporting period incurred under operating leases, including minimum and any contingent rent expense, net of related sublease income.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/otherTransitionRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 840
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121573735&loc=d3e41499-112717

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_RecordedUnconditionalPurchaseObligationLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Details

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- Details

Name:	us-gaap_RecordedUnconditionalPurchaseObligationByCategoryOfItemPurchasedAxis=pstv_PreClinicalResearchStudyObligationsMember
Namespace Prefix:
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- Details

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Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

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- Details

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- Details

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Commitments and Contingencies - Additional Information (Details) - USD ($)			6 Months Ended
	Jun. 22, 2021	Jan. 08, 2021	Jun. 30, 2021	Jun. 30, 2020
Recorded Unconditional Purchase Obligation [Line Items]
Lessee, operating lease, term of contract			12 months
Lessee, operating lease, existence of option to extend [true false]			true
Lessee, operating lease, option to extend			The Charlottesville Lease has a term of 12 months and is renewable for four additional one-year periods.
Lessee, operating lease, renewal term			1 year
Minimum lease payment			$ 841,000
Lessee, operating lease, discount rate			8.95%
Rent expense			$ 112,000	$ 34,000
Lorem Vascular Pte Ltd [Member]
Recorded Unconditional Purchase Obligation [Line Items]
Compensatory damages and operational	$ 6,000,000
Pre-clinical Research Study Obligations [Member]
Recorded Unconditional Purchase Obligation [Line Items]
Contractual obligation			0
Pre-clinical Research Study Obligations [Member] \| Lorem Vascular Pte Ltd [Member]
Recorded Unconditional Purchase Obligation [Line Items]
Litigation settlement, expense			0
Charlottesville [Member]
Recorded Unconditional Purchase Obligation [Line Items]
Minimum lease payment			$ 30,000
Annual increase in lease rate			3.00%
Lease commencement date			Apr. 01, 2021
Piramal Pharma Solutions, Inc. [Member]
Recorded Unconditional Purchase Obligation [Line Items]
Master service agreement date		Jan. 08, 2021
Master services agreement initial term		5 years
Master services agreement terms, Description		The MSA has a term of five years and will automatically renew for successive one-year terms unless either party notifies the other no later than six months prior to the original term or any additional terms of its intention to not renew the MSA. The Company has the right to terminate the MSA for convenience upon thirty days’ prior written notice.
San Antonio, Texas [Member] \| Office Laboratory and Storage Space [Member]
Recorded Unconditional Purchase Obligation [Line Items]
Operating leases expiry year			2028