Collaboration and Licensing Revenue - Summarized Amount of Collaboration Recorded in Consolidated Statements of Income (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2014	Jun. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2014
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration And Licensing Revenue	$ 17,181	$ 11,764	$ 31,964	$ 19,601
ZIOPHARM Oncology, Inc.
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration And Licensing Revenue	5,250	4,341	9,051	7,021
Oragenics, Inc.
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration And Licensing Revenue	375	313	645	1,108
Fibrocell Science, Inc.
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration And Licensing Revenue	1,918	1,331	4,079	2,641
Genopaver, LLC
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration And Licensing Revenue	935	491	1,604	981
S & I Ophthalmic, LLC
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration And Licensing Revenue	890	607	1,645	1,486
OvaXon, LLC
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration And Licensing Revenue	662	579	1,306	748
Intrexon Energy Partners, LLC
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration And Licensing Revenue	3,356	1,835	6,166	1,835
Persea Bio, LLC
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration And Licensing Revenue	266		506
Ares Trading S.A.
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration And Licensing Revenue	739		739
Other Collaborations
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration And Licensing Revenue	2,790	2,267	6,223	3,781
Upfront and Milestone Payments
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration And Licensing Revenue	3,703	2,517	6,734	4,399
Upfront and Milestone Payments | ZIOPHARM Oncology, Inc.
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration And Licensing Revenue	644	644	1,288	1,288
Upfront and Milestone Payments | Oragenics, Inc.
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration And Licensing Revenue	307	261	569	523
Upfront and Milestone Payments | Fibrocell Science, Inc.
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration And Licensing Revenue	448	448	896	896
Upfront and Milestone Payments | Genopaver, LLC
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration And Licensing Revenue	68	68	137	137
Upfront and Milestone Payments | S & I Ophthalmic, LLC
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration And Licensing Revenue	0	0	0	0
Upfront and Milestone Payments | OvaXon, LLC
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration And Licensing Revenue	0	0	0	0
Upfront and Milestone Payments | Intrexon Energy Partners, LLC
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration And Licensing Revenue	625	625	1,250	625
Upfront and Milestone Payments | Persea Bio, LLC
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration And Licensing Revenue	125		250
Upfront and Milestone Payments | Ares Trading S.A.
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration And Licensing Revenue	739		739
Upfront and Milestone Payments | Other Collaborations
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration And Licensing Revenue	747	471	1,605	930
Research and Development Services
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration And Licensing Revenue	13,478	9,247	25,230	15,202
Research and Development Services | ZIOPHARM Oncology, Inc.
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration And Licensing Revenue	4,606	3,697	7,763	5,733
Research and Development Services | Oragenics, Inc.
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration And Licensing Revenue	68	52	76	585
Research and Development Services | Fibrocell Science, Inc.
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration And Licensing Revenue	1,470	883	3,183	1,745
Research and Development Services | Genopaver, LLC
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration And Licensing Revenue	867	423	1,467	844
Research and Development Services | S & I Ophthalmic, LLC
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration And Licensing Revenue	890	607	1,645	1,486
Research and Development Services | OvaXon, LLC
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration And Licensing Revenue	662	579	1,306	748
Research and Development Services | Intrexon Energy Partners, LLC
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration And Licensing Revenue	2,731	1,210	4,916	1,210
Research and Development Services | Persea Bio, LLC
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration And Licensing Revenue	141		256
Research and Development Services | Ares Trading S.A.
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration And Licensing Revenue	0		0
Research and Development Services | Other Collaborations
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration And Licensing Revenue	$ 2,043	$ 1,796	$ 4,618	$ 2,851