Collaboration and Licensing Revenue - Summarized Collaboration and Licensing Revenues (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	$ 109,871	$ 87,821	$ 45,212
ZIOPHARM Oncology, Inc.
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	33,836	19,306	14,621
Oragenics, Inc.
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	2,752	6,535	1,643
Fibrocell Science, Inc.
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	5,942	12,179	6,192
Genopaver, LLC
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	6,117	3,829	1,783
S & I Ophthalmic, LLC
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	6,141	4,115	2,832
OvaXon, LLC
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	2,934	2,540	2,799
Intrexon Energy Partners, LLC
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	17,552	13,447	6,102
Persea Bio, LLC
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	1,278	1,241
Ares Trading S.A.
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	10,192	4,728
Thrive Agrobiotics, Inc.
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	1,714	266
Intrexon Energy Partners II, LLC
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	3,169	167
Exotech Bio, Inc.
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	792
Relieve Genetics, Inc.
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	1,239
Intrexon T1D Partners, LLC
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	1,908
AD Skincare, Inc.
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	695
Genten Therapeutics, Inc.
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	386
CRS Bio, Inc.
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	148
Other
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	13,076	19,468	9,240
Upfront and Milestone Payments
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	34,433	32,513	9,625
Upfront and Milestone Payments | ZIOPHARM Oncology, Inc.
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	11,529	2,855	2,577
Upfront and Milestone Payments | Oragenics, Inc.
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	1,047	5,679	1,045
Upfront and Milestone Payments | Fibrocell Science, Inc.
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	2,419	6,046	1,794
Upfront and Milestone Payments | Genopaver, LLC
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	273	273	273
Upfront and Milestone Payments | S & I Ophthalmic, LLC
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	0	0	0
Upfront and Milestone Payments | OvaXon, LLC
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	0	0	0
Upfront and Milestone Payments | Intrexon Energy Partners, LLC
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	2,500	2,500	1,875
Upfront and Milestone Payments | Persea Bio, LLC
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	500	500
Upfront and Milestone Payments | Ares Trading S.A.
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	6,389	3,933
Upfront and Milestone Payments | Thrive Agrobiotics, Inc.
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	185	46
Upfront and Milestone Payments | Intrexon Energy Partners II, LLC
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	2,000	167
Upfront and Milestone Payments | Exotech Bio, Inc.
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	417
Upfront and Milestone Payments | Relieve Genetics, Inc.
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	361
Upfront and Milestone Payments | Intrexon T1D Partners, LLC
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	821
Upfront and Milestone Payments | AD Skincare, Inc.
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	241
Upfront and Milestone Payments | Genten Therapeutics, Inc.
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	122
Upfront and Milestone Payments | CRS Bio, Inc.
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	57
Upfront and Milestone Payments | Other
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	5,572	10,514	2,061
Research and Development Services
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	75,438	55,308	35,587
Research and Development Services | ZIOPHARM Oncology, Inc.
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	22,307	16,451	12,044
Research and Development Services | Oragenics, Inc.
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	1,705	856	598
Research and Development Services | Fibrocell Science, Inc.
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	3,523	6,133	4,398
Research and Development Services | Genopaver, LLC
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	5,844	3,556	1,510
Research and Development Services | S & I Ophthalmic, LLC
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	6,141	4,115	2,832
Research and Development Services | OvaXon, LLC
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	2,934	2,540	2,799
Research and Development Services | Intrexon Energy Partners, LLC
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	15,052	10,947	4,227
Research and Development Services | Persea Bio, LLC
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	778	741
Research and Development Services | Ares Trading S.A.
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	3,803	795
Research and Development Services | Thrive Agrobiotics, Inc.
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	1,529	220
Research and Development Services | Intrexon Energy Partners II, LLC
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	1,169	0
Research and Development Services | Exotech Bio, Inc.
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	375
Research and Development Services | Relieve Genetics, Inc.
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	878
Research and Development Services | Intrexon T1D Partners, LLC
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	1,087
Research and Development Services | AD Skincare, Inc.
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	454
Research and Development Services | Genten Therapeutics, Inc.
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	264
Research and Development Services | CRS Bio, Inc.
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	91
Research and Development Services | Other
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	$ 7,504	$ 8,954	$ 7,179