Organization	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2017
Organization Consolidation And Presentation Of Financial Statements [Abstract]
Organization	1. Organization Portola Pharmaceuticals, Inc.^® (the “Company” or “we” or “our” or “us”) is a biopharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of novel therapeutics in the areas of thrombosis, other hematologic diseases and inflammation for patients who currently have limited or no approved treatment options. We were incorporated in September 2003 in Delaware. Our headquarters and operations are located in South San Francisco, California and we operate in one segment. Our two late stage development programs address significant unmet medical needs in the area of thrombosis, or blood clots. Our lead compound, betrixaban, is a U.S. Food and Drug Administration, or FDA, designated Fast-Track novel oral once-daily inhibitor of Factor Xa. Our second compound, andexanet alfa, an FDA-designated breakthrough therapy and orphan drug, is a recombinant protein designed to reverse anticoagulant activity in patients treated with a Factor Xa inhibitor. Our third compound, cerdulatinib, is being developed for hematologic, or blood, cancers and inflammatory disorders. Cerdulatinib is an orally available dual kinase inhibitor that inhibits spleen tyrosine kinase, or Syk, and janus kinases, or JAK, enzymes that regulate important signaling pathways. We also have an early stage program of highly selective Syk inhibitors, one of which is partnered with Ora, Inc., or Ora, and another early stage program to develop a drug in the field of hypercholesterolemia.

Organization

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2017

Organization Consolidation And Presentation Of Financial Statements [Abstract]

1. Organization

Portola Pharmaceuticals, Inc.^® (the “Company” or “we” or “our” or “us”) is a biopharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of novel therapeutics in the areas of thrombosis, other hematologic diseases and inflammation for patients who currently have limited or no approved treatment options. We were incorporated in September 2003 in Delaware. Our headquarters and operations are located in South San Francisco, California and we operate in one segment.

Our two late stage development programs address significant unmet medical needs in the area of thrombosis, or blood clots. Our lead compound, betrixaban, is a U.S. Food and Drug Administration, or FDA, designated Fast-Track novel oral once-daily inhibitor of Factor Xa. Our second compound, andexanet alfa, an FDA-designated breakthrough therapy and orphan drug, is a recombinant protein designed to reverse anticoagulant activity in patients treated with a Factor Xa inhibitor. Our third compound, cerdulatinib, is being developed for hematologic, or blood, cancers and inflammatory disorders. Cerdulatinib is an orally available dual kinase inhibitor that inhibits spleen tyrosine kinase, or Syk, and janus kinases, or JAK, enzymes that regulate important signaling pathways. We also have an early stage program of highly selective Syk inhibitors, one of which is partnered with Ora, Inc., or Ora, and another early stage program to develop a drug in the field of hypercholesterolemia.