Collaboration and Licensing Revenue - Additional Information (Details)	1 Months Ended																		5 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2016 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2016 USD ($) shares	Mar. 31, 2016 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($) shares	Sep. 30, 2015 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2015 USD ($)	May 31, 2015 USD ($) target	Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2014 USD ($)	Jan. 31, 2014 USD ($) shares	Dec. 31, 2013 shares	Sep. 30, 2013 USD ($) shares	Jun. 30, 2013 USD ($) shares	Mar. 31, 2013 USD ($)	Feb. 28, 2013	Oct. 31, 2012 USD ($) shares	Jun. 30, 2012 USD ($) shares	Jan. 31, 2011 USD ($) shares	May 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($)
Collaboration Agreements [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues																				$ 109,871,000	$ 87,821,000	$ 45,212,000
Deferred revenue				$ 197,729,000																310,142,000	197,729,000
Trade, net				25,101,000																21,637,000	25,101,000
Upfront and Milestone Payments
Collaboration Agreements [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues																				34,433,000	32,513,000	9,625,000
Deferred revenue				181,331,000																297,867,000	181,331,000
Prepaid research and development services
Collaboration Agreements [Line Items]
Deferred revenue				10,938,000																6,015,000	10,938,000
ZIOPHARM ECC 1
Collaboration Agreements [Line Items]
Percentage of shares outstanding at the date of achievement of future milestone																		7.495%
Required notice period for voluntary termination of collaborative agreement																		90 days
ZIOPHARM ECC 1 | Upfront | Upfront and Milestone Payments
Collaboration Agreements [Line Items]
Collaborative agreement, consideration received (in shares) | shares																		3,636,926
Collaborative agreement, consideration received, value																		$ 17,457,000
ZIOPHARM ECC 1 | Milestone One | Upfront and Milestone Payments
Collaboration Agreements [Line Items]
Collaborative agreement, consideration received (in shares) | shares																3,636,926
Collaborative agreement, consideration received, value																$ 18,330,000
ZIOPHARM ECC 1 Separate Unit Of Accounting | Upfront | Upfront and Milestone Payments
Collaboration Agreements [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues																		1,115,000
ZIOPHARM ECC 1 Unit of Accounting 1 | Upfront | Upfront and Milestone Payments
Collaboration Agreements [Line Items]
Deferred revenue																		$ 16,342,000
ZIOPHARM Oncology, Inc.
Collaboration Agreements [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues																				33,836,000	19,306,000	14,621,000
Royalty rate as a percentage of net profit		20.00%																	50.00%
ZIOPHARM Oncology, Inc. | Upfront and Milestone Payments
Collaboration Agreements [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues																				11,529,000	2,855,000	2,577,000
Deferred revenue				30,338,000																138,809,000	30,338,000
ZIOPHARM Oncology, Inc. | Other Contractual Payments | Upfront and Milestone Payments
Collaboration Agreements [Line Items]
Collaborative agreement, consideration received, value		$ 120,000,000
Collaborative arrangement consideration received, number of preferred shares (in shares) | shares		100,000
Ares Trading S.A.
Collaboration Agreements [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues																				10,192,000	4,728,000
Required notice period for voluntary termination of collaborative agreement							90 days
Trade, net																				3,750,000
Collaborative agreement, additional target fee							$ 5,000,000
Ares Trading S.A. | Upfront and Milestone Payments
Collaboration Agreements [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues																				6,389,000	3,933,000
Deferred revenue				$ 53,567,000																47,178,000	53,567,000
Ares Trading S.A. | Prepaid research and development services
Collaboration Agreements [Line Items]
Deferred revenue							$ 10,000,000
Collaborative agreement, consideration receivable, minimum targets required | target							2
Collaborative agreement, consideration receivable, collection period							2 years
Ares Trading S.A. | Upfront | Upfront and Milestone Payments
Collaboration Agreements [Line Items]
Collaborative agreement, consideration received, value							$ 115,000,000
ZIOPHARM ECC 2
Collaboration Agreements [Line Items]
Required notice period for voluntary termination of collaborative agreement					90 days
ZIOPHARM ECC 2 | Upfront | Upfront and Milestone Payments
Collaboration Agreements [Line Items]
Collaborative agreement, consideration received, value					$ 10,000,000
Oragenics ECC 1
Collaboration Agreements [Line Items]
Percentage of shares outstanding at the date of achievement of future milestone																	1.00%
Required notice period for voluntary termination of collaborative agreement																	90 days
Royalty rate as a percentage of net profit																	25.00%
Percentage of shares outstanding at the date of achievement of future milestone 2																	1.50%
Percentage of shares outstanding at the date of achievement of future milestone 3																	2.00%
Percentage of shares outstanding at the date of achievement of future milestone 4																	2.50%
Percentage of shares outstanding at the date of achievement of future milestone 5																	3.00%
Oragenics ECC 1 | Upfront | Upfront and Milestone Payments
Collaboration Agreements [Line Items]
Collaborative agreement, consideration received (in shares) | shares																	4,392,425
Collaborative agreement, consideration received, value																	$ 6,588,000
Oragenics ECC 2 | Upfront | Upfront and Milestone Payments
Collaboration Agreements [Line Items]
Collaborative agreement, consideration received (in shares) | shares												1,348,000
Collaborative agreement, consideration received, value												$ 3,503,000
Collaborative agreement, consideration received, value of convertible promissory note												$ 1,956,000
Conversion of promissory note into common stock (in shares) | shares											698,241
Oragenics ECC 3
Collaboration Agreements [Line Items]
Required notice period for voluntary termination of collaborative agreement						90 days
Oragenics ECC 3 | Upfront | Upfront and Milestone Payments
Collaboration Agreements [Line Items]
Collaborative agreement, consideration received, value of convertible promissory note						$ 5,000,000
Conversion of promissory note into common stock (in shares) | shares				3,381,004
Fibrocell ECC 1
Collaboration Agreements [Line Items]
Required notice period for voluntary termination of collaborative agreement																90 days
Royalty rate as a percentage of net sales, tier 1																7.00%
Level of net sales at which royalty rate changes to tier 2																$ 25,000,000
Royalty rate as a percentage of net sales, tier 2																14.00%
Royalty rate of savings from improvement																33.00%
Fibrocell ECC 1 | Upfront | Upfront and Milestone Payments
Collaboration Agreements [Line Items]
Collaborative agreement, consideration received (in shares) | shares																1,317,520
Collaborative agreement, consideration received, value																$ 7,576,000
Fibrocell ECC 1 | Supplemental Upfront | Upfront and Milestone Payments
Collaboration Agreements [Line Items]
Collaborative agreement, consideration received (in shares) | shares										1,024,590			1,243,781
Collaborative agreement, consideration received, value										$ 5,225,000			$ 7,612,000
Fibrocell ECC 2
Collaboration Agreements [Line Items]
Required notice period for voluntary termination of collaborative agreement				90 days
Maximum milestone payments required upon successful achievement, first product				$ 30,000,000
Maximum milestone payments required upon successful achievement, per each additional product				30,000,000
Maximum milestone payments required for certain sales milestones, per product				22,500,000
Fibrocell ECC 2 | Upfront | Upfront and Milestone Payments
Collaboration Agreements [Line Items]
Collaborative agreement, consideration received, value				10,000,000
Genopaver, LLC
Collaboration Agreements [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues																				6,117,000	3,829,000	1,783,000
Required notice period for voluntary termination of collaborative agreement														90 days
Genopaver, LLC | Upfront and Milestone Payments
Collaboration Agreements [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues																				273,000	273,000	273,000
Deferred revenue				2,250,000																1,977,000	2,250,000
Genopaver, LLC | Upfront | Upfront and Milestone Payments
Collaboration Agreements [Line Items]
Collaborative agreement, consideration received, value														$ 3,000,000
AquaBounty Technologies, Inc.
Collaboration Agreements [Line Items]
Royalty rate as a percentage of gross profit															16.66%
S & I Ophthalmic, LLC
Collaboration Agreements [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues																				6,141,000	4,115,000	2,832,000
Required notice period for voluntary termination of collaborative agreement												90 days
S & I Ophthalmic, LLC | Upfront and Milestone Payments
Collaboration Agreements [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues																				0	0	0
OvaXon, LLC
Collaboration Agreements [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues																				2,934,000	2,540,000	2,799,000
Required notice period for voluntary termination of collaborative agreement											90 days
OvaXon, LLC | Upfront and Milestone Payments
Collaboration Agreements [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues																				0	0	0
Intrexon Energy Partners, LLC
Collaboration Agreements [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues																				17,552,000	13,447,000	6,102,000
Required notice period for voluntary termination of collaborative agreement									90 days
Intrexon Energy Partners, LLC | Upfront and Milestone Payments
Collaboration Agreements [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues																				2,500,000	2,500,000	$ 1,875,000
Deferred revenue				20,625,000																18,125,000	20,625,000
Intrexon Energy Partners, LLC | Upfront | Upfront and Milestone Payments
Collaboration Agreements [Line Items]
Collaborative agreement, consideration received, value									$ 25,000,000
Persea Bio, LLC
Collaboration Agreements [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues																				1,278,000	1,241,000
Required notice period for voluntary termination of collaborative agreement								90 days
Persea Bio, LLC | Upfront and Milestone Payments
Collaboration Agreements [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues																				500,000	500,000
Deferred revenue				4,500,000																4,000,000	4,500,000
Persea Bio, LLC | Upfront | Upfront and Milestone Payments
Collaboration Agreements [Line Items]
Collaborative agreement, consideration received, value								$ 5,000,000
Thrive Agrobiotics, Inc.
Collaboration Agreements [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues																				1,714,000	266,000
Required notice period for voluntary termination of collaborative agreement					90 days
Thrive Agrobiotics, Inc. | Upfront and Milestone Payments
Collaboration Agreements [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues																				185,000	46,000
Deferred revenue				$ 1,621,000																1,436,000	1,621,000
Thrive Agrobiotics, Inc. | Upfront | Upfront and Milestone Payments
Collaboration Agreements [Line Items]
Collaborative agreement, consideration received, value					$ 1,667,000
Intrexon Energy Partners II, LLC
Collaboration Agreements [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues																				3,169,000	167,000
Required notice period for voluntary termination of collaborative agreement				90 days
Intrexon Energy Partners II, LLC | Upfront and Milestone Payments
Collaboration Agreements [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues																				2,000,000	167,000
Deferred revenue				$ 17,833,000																15,833,000	17,833,000
Intrexon Energy Partners II, LLC | Upfront | Upfront and Milestone Payments
Collaboration Agreements [Line Items]
Collaborative agreement, consideration received, value				18,000,000
Exotech Bio, Inc.
Collaboration Agreements [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues																				792,000
Required notice period for voluntary termination of collaborative agreement			90 days
Exotech Bio, Inc. | Upfront and Milestone Payments
Collaboration Agreements [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues																				417,000
Deferred revenue				0																4,583,000	0
Exotech Bio, Inc. | Upfront | Upfront and Milestone Payments
Collaboration Agreements [Line Items]
Collaborative agreement, consideration received, value			$ 5,000,000
Relieve Genetics, Inc.
Collaboration Agreements [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues																				1,239,000
Required notice period for voluntary termination of collaborative agreement			90 days
Relieve Genetics, Inc. | Upfront and Milestone Payments
Collaboration Agreements [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues																				361,000
Deferred revenue				0																3,972,000	0
Relieve Genetics, Inc. | Upfront | Upfront and Milestone Payments
Collaboration Agreements [Line Items]
Collaborative agreement, consideration received, value			$ 4,333,000
Intrexon T1D Partners, LLC
Collaboration Agreements [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues																				1,908,000
Required notice period for voluntary termination of collaborative agreement			90 days
Intrexon T1D Partners, LLC | Upfront and Milestone Payments
Collaboration Agreements [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues																				821,000
Deferred revenue				0																8,653,000	0
Intrexon T1D Partners, LLC | Upfront | Upfront and Milestone Payments
Collaboration Agreements [Line Items]
Collaborative agreement, consideration received, value			$ 10,000,000
AD Skincare, Inc.
Collaboration Agreements [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues																				695,000
Required notice period for voluntary termination of collaborative agreement		90 days
AD Skincare, Inc. | Upfront and Milestone Payments
Collaboration Agreements [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues																				241,000
Deferred revenue				0																4,092,000	0
AD Skincare, Inc. | Upfront | Upfront and Milestone Payments
Collaboration Agreements [Line Items]
Collaborative agreement, consideration received, value		$ 4,333,000
Genten Therapeutics, Inc.
Collaboration Agreements [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues																				386,000
Required notice period for voluntary termination of collaborative agreement	90 days
Genten Therapeutics, Inc. | Upfront and Milestone Payments
Collaboration Agreements [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues																				122,000
Deferred revenue				0																4,176,000	0
Genten Therapeutics, Inc. | Upfront | Upfront and Milestone Payments
Collaboration Agreements [Line Items]
Collaborative agreement, consideration received, value	$ 3,000,000
Collaborative agreement, consideration received, cash	$ 1,500,000
CRS Bio, Inc.
Collaboration Agreements [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues																				148,000
Required notice period for voluntary termination of collaborative agreement	90 days
CRS Bio, Inc. | Upfront and Milestone Payments
Collaboration Agreements [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues																				57,000
Deferred revenue				$ 0																$ 1,949,000	$ 0
CRS Bio, Inc. | Upfront | Upfront and Milestone Payments
Collaboration Agreements [Line Items]
Collaborative agreement, consideration received, value	$ 2,100,000
ZIOPHARM Oncology, Inc. | Ares Trading S.A.
Collaboration Agreements [Line Items]
Collaboration agreement, percent of collaboration payments																				50.00%
Payments to related parties							57,500,000
Maximum | Ares Trading S.A.
Collaboration Agreements [Line Items]
Milestone payments required upon successful achievement, per product							413,000,000
Milestone payments required upon successful achievement, one-time							$ 50,000,000
Maximum | Oragenics ECC 3
Collaboration Agreements [Line Items]
Milestone payments required upon successful achievement, per product						22,000,000
Milestone payments required upon successful achievement, one-time						$ 10,000,000
Maximum | Thrive Agrobiotics, Inc.
Collaboration Agreements [Line Items]
Milestone payments required upon successful achievement, per product					$ 5,500,000
Maximum | Exotech Bio, Inc.
Collaboration Agreements [Line Items]
Milestone payments required upon successful achievement, per product			52,500,000
Maximum | Relieve Genetics, Inc.
Collaboration Agreements [Line Items]
Milestone payments required upon successful achievement, per product			$ 52,500,000
Maximum | AD Skincare, Inc.
Collaboration Agreements [Line Items]
Milestone payments required upon successful achievement, per product		2,000,000
Milestone payments required upon successful achievement, one-time		$ 17,000,000
Maximum | Genten Therapeutics, Inc.
Collaboration Agreements [Line Items]
Milestone payments required upon successful achievement, per product	82,000,000
Maximum | CRS Bio, Inc.
Collaboration Agreements [Line Items]
Milestone payments required upon successful achievement, per product	$ 75,000,000