Collaboration and Licensing Revenue - Summarized Collaboration and Licensing Revenues (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2015
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	$ 30,590	$ 34,726	$ 82,144	$ 66,690
Upfront and Milestone Payments
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	10,220	20,592	24,047	27,326
Research and Development Services
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	20,370	14,134	58,097	39,364
ZIOPHARM Oncology, Inc.
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	10,429	4,651	24,380	13,702
ZIOPHARM Oncology, Inc. | Upfront and Milestone Payments
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	4,843	645	6,687	1,933
ZIOPHARM Oncology, Inc. | Research and Development Services
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	5,586	4,006	17,693	11,769
Oragenics, Inc.
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	556	5,200	1,869	5,845
Oragenics, Inc. | Upfront and Milestone Payments
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	262	4,868	786	5,437
Oragenics, Inc. | Research and Development Services
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	294	332	1,083	408
Fibrocell Science, Inc.
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	1,167	6,140	4,418	10,219
Fibrocell Science, Inc. | Upfront and Milestone Payments
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	604	4,823	1,814	5,719
Fibrocell Science, Inc. | Research and Development Services
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	563	1,317	2,604	4,500
Genopaver, LLC
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	1,693	1,061	4,908	2,665
Genopaver, LLC | Upfront and Milestone Payments
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	68	68	205	205
Genopaver, LLC | Research and Development Services
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	1,625	993	4,703	2,460
S & I Ophthalmic, LLC
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	2,782	1,193	6,326	2,838
S & I Ophthalmic, LLC | Upfront and Milestone Payments
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	0	0	0	0
S & I Ophthalmic, LLC | Research and Development Services
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	2,782	1,193	6,326	2,838
OvaXon, LLC
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	709	549	2,211	1,855
OvaXon, LLC | Upfront and Milestone Payments
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	0	0	0	0
OvaXon, LLC | Research and Development Services
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	709	549	2,211	1,855
Intrexon Energy Partners, LLC
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	4,855	3,810	13,055	9,976
Intrexon Energy Partners, LLC | Upfront and Milestone Payments
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	625	625	1,875	1,875
Intrexon Energy Partners, LLC | Research and Development Services
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	4,230	3,185	11,180	8,101
Persea Bio, LLC
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	333	422	988	928
Persea Bio, LLC | Upfront and Milestone Payments
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	125	125	375	375
Persea Bio, LLC | Research and Development Services
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	208	297	613	553
Ares Trading S.A.
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	2,316	1,857	6,939	2,596
Ares Trading S.A. | Upfront and Milestone Payments
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	1,597	1,597	4,791	2,336
Ares Trading S.A. | Research and Development Services
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	719	260	2,148	260
Thrive Agrobiotics, Inc.
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	425		1,309
Thrive Agrobiotics, Inc. | Upfront and Milestone Payments
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	46		138
Thrive Agrobiotics, Inc. | Research and Development Services
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	379		1,171
Intrexon Energy Partners II, LLC
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	872		2,316
Intrexon Energy Partners II, LLC | Upfront and Milestone Payments
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	500		1,500
Intrexon Energy Partners II, LLC | Research and Development Services
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	372		816
Exotech Bio, Inc.
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	221		360
Exotech Bio, Inc. | Upfront and Milestone Payments
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	139		278
Exotech Bio, Inc. | Research and Development Services
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	82		82
Relieve Genetics, Inc.
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	462		812
Relieve Genetics, Inc. | Upfront and Milestone Payments
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	120		240
Relieve Genetics, Inc. | Research and Development Services
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	342		572
Intrexon T1D Partners
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	787		1,097
Intrexon T1D Partners | Upfront and Milestone Payments
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	276		554
Intrexon T1D Partners | Research and Development Services
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	511		543
AD Skincare, Inc.
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	185		185
AD Skincare, Inc. | Upfront and Milestone Payments
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	120		120
AD Skincare, Inc. | Research and Development Services
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	65		65
Other
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	2,798	9,843	10,971	16,066
Other | Upfront and Milestone Payments
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	895	7,841	4,684	9,446
Other | Research and Development Services
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	$ 1,903	$ 2,002	$ 6,287	$ 6,620