Fair Value Measurements (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010
Assets:
Money market funds	$ 24,862	$ 1,375	$ 0
Liabilities:
Warrants to purchase common stock	(30,359)	(5,836)	(6,881)
Total liabilities	(30,359)	(5,836)	(6,881)
Available for sale securities:
Commercial paper	12,966
Corporate debt securities	41,850
U.S. government and agency securities	9,865
Total assets:	89,543
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1 [Member]
Assets:
Money market funds	24,862	1,375	0
Liabilities:
Warrants to purchase common stock	0	0	0
Total liabilities	0	0	0
Available for sale securities:
Commercial paper	0
Corporate debt securities	0
U.S. government and agency securities	0
Total assets:	24,862
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member]
Assets:
Money market funds		0	0
Liabilities:
Warrants to purchase common stock	0	0	0
Total liabilities	0	0	0
Available for sale securities:
Commercial paper	12,966
Corporate debt securities	41,850
U.S. government and agency securities	9,865
Total assets:	64,681
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member]
Assets:
Money market funds		0	0
Liabilities:
Warrants to purchase common stock	(30,359)	(5,836)	(6,881)
Total liabilities	(30,359)	(5,836)	(6,881)
Available for sale securities:
Commercial paper	0
Corporate debt securities	0
U.S. government and agency securities	0
Total assets:	$ 0

Represents the carrying value of corporate debt securities.

No definition available.

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- Definition

The value of warrants to purchase common stock during the period.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	icpt_
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- Details

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- Definition

This element represents the aggregate of the assets reported on the balance sheet at period end measured at fair value by the entity. This element is intended to be used in connection with the fair value disclosures required in the footnote disclosures to the financial statements.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 820

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 2

-Subparagraph (a)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=7578670&loc=d3e19207-110258

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- Details

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- Definition

Unsecured short-term debt instrument issued by corporations which are highly liquid investments that are both readily convertible to known amounts of cash and so near their maturity that they present insignificant risk of changes in value because of changes in interest rates. Generally, only investments with original maturities of three months or less qualify under that definition. Original maturity means original maturity to the entity holding the investment. For example, both a three-month US Treasury bill and a three-year Treasury note purchased three months from maturity qualify as cash equivalents. However, a Treasury note purchased three-years ago does not become a cash equivalent when its remaining maturity is three months.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Glossary Cash Equivalents

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6507016

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

-Number 95

-Paragraph 8, 9

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 230

-SubTopic 10

-Section 45

-Paragraph 5

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6943989&loc=d3e3052-108585

+ Details

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- Details

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- Definition

This element represents the aggregate of the liabilities reported on the balance sheet at period end measured at fair value by the entity. This element is intended to be used in connection with the fair value disclosures required in the footnote disclosures to the financial statements.

+ References

+ Details

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- Definition

Investment in short-term money-market instruments (such as commercial paper, banker's acceptances, repurchase agreements, government securities, certificates of deposit, and so forth) which are highly liquid (that is, readily convertible to known amounts of cash) and so near their maturity that they present an insignificant risk of changes in value because of changes in interest rates. Generally, only investments with original maturities of three months or less qualify as cash equivalents by definition. Original maturity means an original maturity to the entity holding the investment. For example, both a three-month US Treasury bill and a three-year Treasury note purchased three months from maturity qualify as cash equivalents. However, a Treasury note purchased three-years ago does not become a cash equivalent when its remaining maturity is three months.

+ References

+ Details

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- Definition

Debt (bills, notes or bonds) that are issued by the government of the United States which are short-term, highly liquid investments that are both readily convertible to known amounts of cash and so near their maturity that they present insignificant risk of changes in value because of changes in interest rates. Generally, only investments with original maturities of three months or less qualify under that definition. Original maturity means original maturity to the entity holding the investment. For example, both a three-month US Treasury bill and a three-year Treasury note purchased three months from maturity qualify as cash equivalents. However, a Treasury note purchased three-years ago does not become a cash equivalent when its remaining maturity is three months.

+ References

+ Details

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