Related Party Transactions (Details) - USD ($)	1 Months Ended			3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2016	Nov. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2015
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Shares issued as payment for services						$ 5,689,000
Collaboration and licensing revenues				$ 27,481,000	$ 17,181,000	51,554,000	$ 31,964,000
Third Security, LLC
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Expense for services				$ 99,000	111,000	$ 145,000	152,000
Initial term of services agreement		1 year
Shares issued as payment for services (in shares)				85,300		165,170
Shares issued as payment for services				$ 2,143,000		$ 4,410,000
Third Security, LLC | Common Stock
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Expense for services		$ 800,000
Oragenics, Inc.
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Common stock purchased from collaborative partners, shares	2,261,419
Price per share of common shares (usd per share)	$ 0.52			$ 0.52		$ 0.52
Oragenics, Inc. | Maximum
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Maximum percentage of shares of future securities offerings of collaborative partners to which the entity is entitled to purchase	30.00%			30.00%		30.00%
Common stock purchase commitment	$ 8,833,000		$ 10,000,000	$ 8,833,000	10,000,000	$ 8,833,000	10,000,000
Oragenics ECC 3
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Commitment period for purchase of additional common stock after effective date			16 months
Related Parties, Aggregated
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues				23,612,000	$ 15,239,000	43,611,000	$ 28,035,000
Harvest Intrexon Enterprise Fund I, LP | Other nonoperating income
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Management fees revenue				$ 613,000		$ 1,258,000