Stock Option Plans - Intrexon Stock Option Plans - Schedule of Stock Option Activity (Detail) (Intrexon Stock Option Plans, USD $)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014		Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011
Intrexon Stock Option Plans
Number of Shares
Balances at beginning of period	2,840,648		2,313,526	3,614,530
Granted	7,655,050		989,709	548,571
Exercised	(315,964)		(88,764)	(194,570)
Forfeited	(1,855,578)		(335,746)	(1,210,857)
Expired	(612)		(38,077)	(444,148)
Balances at period end	8,323,544		2,840,648	2,313,526	3,614,530
Weighted Average Exercise Price (usd per share)
Balances at beginning of period, weighted average exercise price	$ 8.27		$ 5.90	$ 5.22
Granted, weighted average exercise price	$ 27.51		$ 13.06	$ 7.12
Exercised, weighted average exercise price	$ (4.80)		$ (6.04)	$ (2.43)
Forfeited, weighted average exercise price	$ (24.00)		$ (6.94)	$ (6.30)
Expired, weighted average exercise price	$ (7.12)		$ (5.17)	$ (2.29)
Balances at period end, weighted average exercise price	$ 22.59		$ 8.27	$ 5.90	$ 5.22
Additional Disclosures
Exercisable at period end (shares)	1,448,434
Vested and expected to vest at period end (shares)	6,742,605	[1]
Options exercisable, weighted average exercise price (usd per share)	$ 8.27		$ 5.37
Vested and expected to vest, weighted average exercise price (usd per share)	$ 21.78	[1]
Balances at period end, weighted average remaining contractual period	8 years 7 months 21 days		7 years 9 months	7 years 10 months 13 days	6 years 8 months 1 day
Exercisable at period end, weighted average remaining contractual period	6 years 3 months
Vested and expected to vest at period end, weighted average remaining contractual period	8 years 6 months	[1]

[1] The number of stock options expected to vest takes into account an estimate of expected forfeitures.