Consolidated Statements of Shareholders' and Total Equity - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Total	Common Stock	Additional Paid-in Capital	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss)	Accumulated Deficit	Total Intrexon Shareholders' Equity	Noncontrolling Interests
Beginning balance at Dec. 31, 2013	$ 381,343		$ 743,084	$ 52	$ (376,414)	$ 366,722	$ 14,621
Beginning balance, shares at Dec. 31, 2013		97,053,712
Changes in Stockholders' Equity
Stock-based compensation expense	21,849		21,692			21,692	157
Exercises of stock options and warrants, shares		374,471
Exercises of stock options and warrants	1,489		1,477			1,477	12
Contribution of services by shareholder	1,991		1,991			1,991
Shares issued as compensation for services	486		486			486
Shares issued as compensation for services, shares		16,908
Shares issued in public or private offerings	25,000		25,000			25,000
Shares issued in public or private offerings, shares		972,004
Shares issued in acquisitions	51,682		51,682			51,682
Shares issued in acquisitions, shares		2,140,837
Shares issued in asset acquisition	0
Shares issued as payment for contingent consideration	0
Adjustments for noncontrolling interests	11,077		(2,411)			(2,411)	13,488
Noncash dividend	0
Net loss	(85,616)				(81,822)	(81,822)	(3,794)
Other comprehensive income (loss)	(12)			(56)		(56)	44
Ending balance at Dec. 31, 2014	409,289		843,001	(4)	(458,236)	384,761	24,528
Ending balance, shares at Dec. 31, 2014		100,557,932
Changes in Stockholders' Equity
Stock-based compensation expense	38,688		38,507			38,507	181
Exercises of stock options and warrants, shares		1,148,463
Exercises of stock options and warrants	14,462		14,462			14,462	0
Shares issued as compensation for services	2,169		2,169			2,169
Shares issued as compensation for services, shares		70,925
Shares issued in public or private offerings	328,234		328,234			328,234
Shares issued in public or private offerings, shares		9,922,256
Shares issued as consideration for license agreement	59,579		59,579			59,579
Shares issued as consideration for licensing agreement, shares		2,100,085
Shares issued in acquisitions	126,863		126,863			126,863
Shares issued in acquisitions, shares		2,552,151
Shares issued in asset acquisition	0
Shares issued as payment for contingent consideration	0
Acquisition of noncontrolling interest	(1,566)		9,412			9,412	(10,978)
Acquisition of noncontrolling interest, shares		307,074
Adjustments for noncontrolling interests	250		(249)			(249)	499
Noncash dividend	(172,419)		(172,419)			(172,419)
Net loss	(87,994)				(84,493)	(84,493)	(3,501)
Other comprehensive income (loss)	(12,669)			(12,748)		(12,748)	79
Ending balance at Dec. 31, 2015	$ 704,886		1,249,559	(12,752)	(542,729)	694,078	10,808
Ending balance, shares at Dec. 31, 2015	116,658,886	116,658,886
Changes in Stockholders' Equity
Stock-based compensation expense	$ 42,181		42,108			42,108	73
Exercises of stock options and warrants, shares		1,400,146
Exercises of stock options and warrants	19,165		19,165			19,165	0
Shares issued as compensation for services	10,777		10,777			10,777
Shares issued as compensation for services, shares		434,061
Shares issued in acquisitions	0
Shares issued in asset acquisition	4,401		4,401			4,401
Shares issued in asset acquisition, shares		136,340
Shares issued as payment for contingent consideration	1,583		1,583			1,583
Shares issued as payment for contingent consideration, shares		59,337
Adjustments for noncontrolling interests	0		(1,813)			(1,813)	1,813
Noncash dividend	0
Net loss	(190,274)				(186,612)	(186,612)	(3,662)
Other comprehensive income (loss)	(23,471)			(23,450)		(23,450)	(21)
Ending balance at Dec. 31, 2016	$ 569,248		$ 1,325,780	$ (36,202)	$ (729,341)	$ 560,237	$ 9,011
Ending balance, shares at Dec. 31, 2016	118,688,770	118,688,770