Preferred Stock and Stockholders' Equity - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $)	1 Months Ended															12 Months Ended							1 Months Ended
	Jan. 20, 2012	Feb. 03, 2011	Jan. 12, 2011	Jan. 06, 2011	May 27, 2010	Jun. 02, 2010	Dec. 04, 2009	Dec. 09, 2009	Sep. 15, 2009	Sep. 09, 2009	Feb. 23, 2007	May 03, 2006	Jun. 06, 2005	Jan. 31, 2004	Sep. 30, 2003	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2009	Apr. 26, 2006	Dec. 31, 2005	Feb. 29, 2004	Nov. 07, 2012 Intrexon Corporation	Jan. 25, 2012 Intrexon Corporation
Equity [Line Items]
Shares of authorized capital stock																				280,000,000
Common stock, shares authorized																250,000,000	250,000,000			250,000,000
Common stock par value per share			$ 0.001	$ 0.001	$ 0.001									$ 0.50	$ 0.50	$ 0.001	$ 0.001			$ 0.001	$ 0.001	$ 0.001
Preferred stock, shares authorized																30,000,000	30,000,000			30,000,000
Preferred stock par value																$ 0.001	$ 0.001			$ 0.001	$ 0.001
Common Stock Additional Shares Issued			3,636,926	3,636,926										9,017,538	1,001,949	83,236,840	69,206,044
Proceeds from issuance of common stock	$ 52,600,000	$ 63,500,000			$ 32,800,000	$ 35,000,000	$ 45,200,000	$ 48,000,000	$ 5,100,000	$ 5,100,000	$ 30,900,000	$ 37,000,000	$ 18,100,000	$ 4,500,000	$ 500,000
Common Stock Shares Sold	10,114,401	11,040,000	2,426,235	2,426,235	7,000,000	7,000,000	15,484,000	15,484,000	2,772,337	2,772,337	5,910,049	7,991,256
Common stock price per share	$ 5.20	$ 5.75	$ 4.80	$ 4.80		$ 5.00	$ 3.10	$ 3.10	$ 1.825	$ 1.825	$ 5.225	$ 4.63
Purchase of common stock			$ 11,600,000	$ 11,645,928												$ 546,000	$ 273,000	$ 1,668,000	$ 380,000
Issuance of common stock																							3,636,926	1,923,075
Common stock, shares outstanding																83,236,840	69,206,044
Preferred stock, shares issued																0	0
Preferred stock, shares outstanding																0	0