Collaboration Revenue - Summarized Amount of Collaboration Recorded in Consolidated Statement of Operations (Detail) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration revenues	$ 45,212	$ 23,525	$ 13,706
ZIOPHARM Oncology, Inc.
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration revenues	14,621	10,395	11,401
Synthetic Biologics, Inc.
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration revenues	924	3,235	620
Oragenics, Inc.
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration revenues	1,643	2,190	836
Fibrocell Science, Inc.
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration revenues	6,192	4,706	219
Genopaver, LLC
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration revenues	1,783	1,139
S & I Ophthalmic, LLC
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration revenues	2,832	417
OvaXon, LLC
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration revenues	2,799
Intrexon Energy Partners, LLC
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration revenues	6,102
Other
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration revenues	8,316	1,443	630
Upfront and Milestone Payments
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration revenues	9,625	6,944	5,851
Upfront and Milestone Payments | ZIOPHARM Oncology, Inc.
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration revenues	2,577	2,577	5,068
Upfront and Milestone Payments | Synthetic Biologics, Inc.
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration revenues	651	2,187	293
Upfront and Milestone Payments | Oragenics, Inc.
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration revenues	1,045	673	320
Upfront and Milestone Payments | Fibrocell Science, Inc.
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration revenues	1,794	970	158
Upfront and Milestone Payments | Genopaver, LLC
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration revenues	273	204
Upfront and Milestone Payments | S & I Ophthalmic, LLC
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration revenues	0	0
Upfront and Milestone Payments | OvaXon, LLC
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration revenues	0
Upfront and Milestone Payments | Intrexon Energy Partners, LLC
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration revenues	1,875
Upfront and Milestone Payments | Other
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration revenues	1,410	333	12
Research and Development Services
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration revenues	35,587	16,581	7,855
Research and Development Services | ZIOPHARM Oncology, Inc.
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration revenues	12,044	7,818	6,333
Research and Development Services | Synthetic Biologics, Inc.
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration revenues	273	1,048	327
Research and Development Services | Oragenics, Inc.
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration revenues	598	1,517	516
Research and Development Services | Fibrocell Science, Inc.
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration revenues	4,398	3,736	61
Research and Development Services | Genopaver, LLC
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration revenues	1,510	935
Research and Development Services | S & I Ophthalmic, LLC
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration revenues	2,832	417
Research and Development Services | OvaXon, LLC
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration revenues	2,799
Research and Development Services | Intrexon Energy Partners, LLC
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration revenues	4,227
Research and Development Services | Other
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration revenues	$ 6,906	$ 1,110	$ 618