Collaboration and Licensing Revenue - Summarized Collaboration and Licensing Revenues (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2016	Mar. 31, 2015
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	$ 24,073	$ 14,783
ZIOPHARM Oncology, Inc.
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	6,981	3,801
Oragenics, Inc.
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	806	270
Fibrocell Science, Inc.
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	1,857	2,161
Genopaver, LLC
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	1,578	669
S & I Ophthalmic, LLC
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	1,186	755
OvaXon, LLC
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	694	644
Intrexon Energy Partners, LLC
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	3,988	2,810
Persea Bio, LLC
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	324	240
Ares Trading S.A.
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	2,405
Thrive Agrobiotics, Inc.
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	434
Intrexon Energy Partners II, LLC
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	550
Other
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	3,270	3,433
Upfront and Milestone Payments
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	5,772	3,031
Upfront and Milestone Payments | ZIOPHARM Oncology, Inc.
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	922	644
Upfront and Milestone Payments | Oragenics, Inc.
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	263	262
Upfront and Milestone Payments | Fibrocell Science, Inc.
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	605	448
Upfront and Milestone Payments | Genopaver, LLC
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	69	69
Upfront and Milestone Payments | S & I Ophthalmic, LLC
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	0	0
Upfront and Milestone Payments | OvaXon, LLC
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	0	0
Upfront and Milestone Payments | Intrexon Energy Partners, LLC
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	625	625
Upfront and Milestone Payments | Persea Bio, LLC
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	125	125
Upfront and Milestone Payments | Ares Trading S.A.
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	1,597
Upfront and Milestone Payments | Thrive Agrobiotics, Inc.
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	46
Upfront and Milestone Payments | Intrexon Energy Partners II, LLC
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	500
Upfront and Milestone Payments | Other
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	1,020	858
Research and Development Services
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	18,301	11,752
Research and Development Services | ZIOPHARM Oncology, Inc.
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	6,059	3,157
Research and Development Services | Oragenics, Inc.
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	543	8
Research and Development Services | Fibrocell Science, Inc.
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	1,252	1,713
Research and Development Services | Genopaver, LLC
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	1,509	600
Research and Development Services | S & I Ophthalmic, LLC
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	1,186	755
Research and Development Services | OvaXon, LLC
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	694	644
Research and Development Services | Intrexon Energy Partners, LLC
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	3,363	2,185
Research and Development Services | Persea Bio, LLC
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	199	115
Research and Development Services | Ares Trading S.A.
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	808
Research and Development Services | Thrive Agrobiotics, Inc.
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	388
Research and Development Services | Intrexon Energy Partners II, LLC
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	50
Research and Development Services | Other
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	$ 2,250	$ 2,575