Collaboration Revenue - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $) In Thousands, except Share data, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended			3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended			3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended		3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended		3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended		3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended			0 Months Ended		0 Months Ended		0 Months Ended		0 Months Ended		0 Months Ended		3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended			3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended		3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended		0 Months Ended	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended		3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended		3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended		0 Months Ended		3 Months Ended	9 Months Ended	3 Months Ended	9 Months Ended	3 Months Ended	9 Months Ended	0 Months Ended	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended			3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended		3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended		0 Months Ended	3 Months Ended	9 Months Ended	3 Months Ended	9 Months Ended	3 Months Ended	9 Months Ended	0 Months Ended	3 Months Ended	9 Months Ended	3 Months Ended	9 Months Ended	3 Months Ended	9 Months Ended	0 Months Ended											0 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2014	Sep. 30, 2013	Sep. 30, 2014	Sep. 30, 2013	Dec. 31, 2013	Sep. 30, 2014 Upfront and Milestone Payments	Sep. 30, 2013 Upfront and Milestone Payments	Sep. 30, 2014 Upfront and Milestone Payments	Sep. 30, 2013 Upfront and Milestone Payments	Dec. 31, 2013 Upfront and Milestone Payments	Sep. 30, 2014 Research and Development Services	Sep. 30, 2013 Research and Development Services	Sep. 30, 2014 Research and Development Services	Sep. 30, 2013 Research and Development Services	Sep. 30, 2014 Synthetic Biologics, Inc.	Sep. 30, 2013 Synthetic Biologics, Inc.	Sep. 30, 2014 Synthetic Biologics, Inc.	Sep. 30, 2013 Synthetic Biologics, Inc.	Sep. 30, 2014 Synthetic Biologics, Inc. Upfront and Milestone Payments	Sep. 30, 2013 Synthetic Biologics, Inc. Upfront and Milestone Payments	Sep. 30, 2014 Synthetic Biologics, Inc. Upfront and Milestone Payments	Sep. 30, 2013 Synthetic Biologics, Inc. Upfront and Milestone Payments	Sep. 30, 2014 Synthetic Biologics, Inc. Research and Development Services	Sep. 30, 2013 Synthetic Biologics, Inc. Research and Development Services	Sep. 30, 2014 Synthetic Biologics, Inc. Research and Development Services	Sep. 30, 2013 Synthetic Biologics, Inc. Research and Development Services	Dec. 17, 2012 Synthetic Biologics, Inc. Research and Development Services	Nov. 18, 2011 Synthetic Biologics Field One ECC	Nov. 18, 2011 Synthetic Biologics Field One ECC	Aug. 06, 2012 Synthetic Biologics Field Two ECC	Aug. 06, 2012 Synthetic Biologics Field Two ECC	Jun. 05, 2012 Oragenics ECC 1	Jun. 05, 2012 Oragenics ECC 1	Sep. 30, 2013 Oragenics ECC 2	Sep. 30, 2013 Oragenics ECC 2	Apr. 30, 2013 Fibrocell Science, Inc.	Oct. 05, 2012 Fibrocell Science, Inc.	Sep. 30, 2014 Fibrocell Science, Inc.	Sep. 30, 2013 Fibrocell Science, Inc.	Sep. 30, 2014 Fibrocell Science, Inc.	Sep. 30, 2013 Fibrocell Science, Inc.	Oct. 05, 2012 Fibrocell Science, Inc.	Sep. 30, 2014 Fibrocell Science, Inc. Upfront and Milestone Payments	Sep. 30, 2013 Fibrocell Science, Inc. Upfront and Milestone Payments	Sep. 30, 2014 Fibrocell Science, Inc. Upfront and Milestone Payments	Sep. 30, 2013 Fibrocell Science, Inc. Upfront and Milestone Payments	Sep. 30, 2014 Fibrocell Science, Inc. Research and Development Services	Sep. 30, 2013 Fibrocell Science, Inc. Research and Development Services	Sep. 30, 2014 Fibrocell Science, Inc. Research and Development Services	Sep. 30, 2013 Fibrocell Science, Inc. Research and Development Services	Mar. 29, 2013 Genopaver, LLC	Sep. 30, 2014 Genopaver, LLC	Sep. 30, 2013 Genopaver, LLC	Sep. 30, 2014 Genopaver, LLC	Sep. 30, 2013 Genopaver, LLC	Sep. 30, 2014 Genopaver, LLC Upfront and Milestone Payments	Sep. 30, 2013 Genopaver, LLC Upfront and Milestone Payments	Sep. 30, 2014 Genopaver, LLC Upfront and Milestone Payments	Sep. 30, 2013 Genopaver, LLC Upfront and Milestone Payments	Sep. 30, 2014 Genopaver, LLC Research and Development Services	Sep. 30, 2013 Genopaver, LLC Research and Development Services	Sep. 30, 2014 Genopaver, LLC Research and Development Services	Sep. 30, 2013 Genopaver, LLC Research and Development Services	Feb. 14, 2013 AquaBounty Technologies, Inc.	Mar. 26, 2014 Intrexon Energy Partners, LLC	Sep. 30, 2014 Intrexon Energy Partners, LLC	Sep. 30, 2014 Intrexon Energy Partners, LLC	Sep. 30, 2014 Intrexon Energy Partners, LLC Upfront and Milestone Payments	Sep. 30, 2014 Intrexon Energy Partners, LLC Upfront and Milestone Payments	Sep. 30, 2014 Intrexon Energy Partners, LLC Research and Development Services	Sep. 30, 2014 Intrexon Energy Partners, LLC Research and Development Services	Jan. 06, 2011 Ziopharm Oncology, Inc.	Sep. 30, 2014 Ziopharm Oncology, Inc.	Sep. 30, 2013 Ziopharm Oncology, Inc.	Sep. 30, 2014 Ziopharm Oncology, Inc.	Sep. 30, 2013 Ziopharm Oncology, Inc.	Jan. 06, 2011 Ziopharm Oncology, Inc.	Sep. 30, 2014 Ziopharm Oncology, Inc. Upfront and Milestone Payments	Sep. 30, 2013 Ziopharm Oncology, Inc. Upfront and Milestone Payments	Sep. 30, 2014 Ziopharm Oncology, Inc. Upfront and Milestone Payments	Sep. 30, 2013 Ziopharm Oncology, Inc. Upfront and Milestone Payments	Sep. 30, 2014 Ziopharm Oncology, Inc. Research and Development Services	Sep. 30, 2013 Ziopharm Oncology, Inc. Research and Development Services	Sep. 30, 2014 Ziopharm Oncology, Inc. Research and Development Services	Sep. 30, 2013 Ziopharm Oncology, Inc. Research and Development Services	Sep. 30, 2013 S & I Ophthalmic, LLC	Sep. 30, 2014 S & I Ophthalmic, LLC	Sep. 30, 2014 S & I Ophthalmic, LLC	Sep. 30, 2014 S & I Ophthalmic, LLC Upfront and Milestone Payments	Sep. 30, 2014 S & I Ophthalmic, LLC Upfront and Milestone Payments	Sep. 30, 2014 S & I Ophthalmic, LLC Research and Development Services	Sep. 30, 2014 S & I Ophthalmic, LLC Research and Development Services	Dec. 18, 2013 OvaXon, LLC	Sep. 30, 2014 OvaXon, LLC	Sep. 30, 2014 OvaXon, LLC	Sep. 30, 2014 OvaXon, LLC Upfront and Milestone Payments	Sep. 30, 2014 OvaXon, LLC Upfront and Milestone Payments	Sep. 30, 2014 OvaXon, LLC Research and Development Services	Sep. 30, 2014 OvaXon, LLC Research and Development Services	Nov. 18, 2011 Upfront Synthetic Biologics Field One ECC Upfront and Milestone Payments	Oct. 05, 2012 Upfront Synthetic Biologics Field Two ECC Upfront and Milestone Payments	Jun. 05, 2012 Upfront Oragenics ECC 1 Upfront and Milestone Payments	Dec. 18, 2013 Upfront Oragenics ECC 2 Upfront and Milestone Payments	Sep. 30, 2013 Upfront Oragenics ECC 2 Upfront and Milestone Payments	Oct. 05, 2012 Upfront Fibrocell Science, Inc. Upfront and Milestone Payments	Mar. 29, 2013 Upfront Genopaver, LLC Upfront and Milestone Payments	Mar. 26, 2014 Upfront Intrexon Energy Partners, LLC Upfront and Milestone Payments	Jan. 06, 2011 Upfront Ziopharm Oncology, Inc. Upfront and Milestone Payments	Jan. 06, 2011 Upfront Ziopharm Oncology ECC Separate Unit of Accounting Upfront and Milestone Payments	Jan. 06, 2011 Upfront Ziopharm Oncology ECC Unit of Accounting One Upfront and Milestone Payments	Jan. 10, 2014 Supplemental Upfront Fibrocell Science, Inc. Upfront and Milestone Payments	Jun. 28, 2013 Supplemental Upfront Fibrocell Science, Inc. Upfront and Milestone Payments	Oct. 24, 2012 Milestone One Ziopharm Oncology, Inc. Upfront and Milestone Payments
Collaboration Agreements [Line Items]
Collaborative arrangement consideration received, shares																																																																																																				3,123,558	3,552,210	4,392,425		1,348,000	1,317,520			3,636,926			1,024,590	1,243,781	3,636,926
Collaborative arrangement consideration received, value																																																																																																				$ 1,687	$ 7,815	$ 6,588		$ 3,503	$ 7,576	$ 3,000	$ 25,000	$ 17,457			$ 5,225	$ 7,612	$ 18,330
Collaboration revenue	12,656	6,028	32,257	16,566		2,490	1,427	6,889	5,315		10,166	4,601	25,368	11,251	204	339	756	2,889	163	163	488	2,024	41	176	268	865												1,463	1,710	4,104	3,071		449	327	1,345	643	1,014	1,383	2,759	2,428		428	383	1,409	664	68	68	205	136	360	315	1,204	528			2,160	3,995	625	1,250	1,535	2,745		4,014	2,766	11,035	7,775		644	644	1,932	1,932	3,370	2,122	9,103	5,843		667	2,153	0	0	667	2,153		813	1,561	0	0	813	1,561										1,115
Deferred revenue	109,852		109,852		73,571	105,943		105,943		72,207																	2,500																																																																																			16,342
Percent of shares outstanding at the date of achievement of future milestone																													9.995%				1.00%																																												7.495%
Royalty rate as a percentage of net profit																												50.00%				25.00%																																								50.00%
Required notice period for voluntary termination of collaborative agreement																												90 days		90 days		90 days		90 days			90 days														90 days														90 days							90 days														90 days							90 days
Consideration to be received upon achievement of future milestone 1																															2,000				2,000
Consideration to be received upon achievement of future milestone 2																															3,000				5,000
Field expansion fee																															2,000
Percentage of shares outstanding at the date of achievement of future milestone 2																																	1.50%
Percentage of shares outstanding at the date of achievement of future milestone 3																																	2.00%
Percentage of shares outstanding at the date of achievement of future milestone 4																																	2.50%
Percentage of shares outstanding at the date of achievement of future milestone 5																																	3.00%
Collaborative arrangement consideration received, value of convertible promissory note																																																																																																								1,956
Consideration to be received upon achievement of future milestone 3																																			10,000
Royalty rate as a percentage of net sales, tier 1																																		10.00%			7.00%
Conversion of promissory note into Common stock																																																																																																							698,241
Reverse stock split ratio																																				1-for-25
Royalty rate as a percentage of net sales, tier 2																																					14.00%
Royalty rate of savings from improvement																																					33.00%
Level of net sales at which royalty rate changes to tier 2																																										$ 25,000
Royalty rate as a percentage of gross profit																																																																16.66%