Collaboration and Licensing Revenue - Summarized Collaboration and Licensing Revenues (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2017		Mar. 31, 2016
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	$ 33,065		$ 24,073
Upfront and Milestone Payments
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	11,324		5,772
Research and Development Services
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	21,741		18,301
ZIOPHARM Oncology, Inc.
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	10,985		6,981
ZIOPHARM Oncology, Inc. | Upfront and Milestone Payments
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	4,842		922
ZIOPHARM Oncology, Inc. | Research and Development Services
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	6,143		6,059
Oragenics, Inc.
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	569		806
Oragenics, Inc. | Upfront and Milestone Payments
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	263		263
Oragenics, Inc. | Research and Development Services
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	306		543
Fibrocell Science, Inc.
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	1,739		1,857
Fibrocell Science, Inc. | Upfront and Milestone Payments
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	605		605
Fibrocell Science, Inc. | Research and Development Services
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	1,134		1,252
Genopaver, LLC
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	1,680		1,578
Genopaver, LLC | Upfront and Milestone Payments
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	69		69
Genopaver, LLC | Research and Development Services
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	1,611		1,509
S & I Ophthalmic, LLC
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	303		1,186
S & I Ophthalmic, LLC | Upfront and Milestone Payments
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	0		0
S & I Ophthalmic, LLC | Research and Development Services
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	303		1,186
OvaXon, LLC
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	824		694
OvaXon, LLC | Upfront and Milestone Payments
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	0		0
OvaXon, LLC | Research and Development Services
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	824		694
Intrexon Energy Partners, LLC
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	5,086		3,988
Intrexon Energy Partners, LLC | Upfront and Milestone Payments
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	625		625
Intrexon Energy Partners, LLC | Research and Development Services
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	4,461		3,363
Persea Bio, LLC
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	289		324
Persea Bio, LLC | Upfront and Milestone Payments
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	125		125
Persea Bio, LLC | Research and Development Services
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	164		199
Ares Trading S.A.
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	3,315		2,405
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
Ares Trading S.A. | Research and Development Services
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	1,718		808
Intrexon Energy Partners II, LLC
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	1,149		550
Intrexon Energy Partners II, LLC | Upfront and Milestone Payments
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	500		500
Intrexon Energy Partners II, LLC | Research and Development Services
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	649		50
Intrexon T1D Partners, LLC
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	1,132
Intrexon T1D Partners, LLC | Upfront and Milestone Payments
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	264
Intrexon T1D Partners, LLC | Research and Development Services
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	868
Harvest start-up entities
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	3,363	[1]	434	[2]
Harvest start-up entities | Upfront and Milestone Payments
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	601	[1]	46	[2]
Harvest start-up entities | Research and Development Services
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	2,762	[1]	388	[2]
Other
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	2,631		3,270
Other | Upfront and Milestone Payments
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	1,833		1,020
Other | Research and Development Services
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	$ 798		$ 2,250

[1] For the three months ended March 31, 2017, revenue recognized from collaborations with Harvest start-up entities include Thrive Agrobiotics, Inc.; Exotech Bio, Inc.; Relieve Genetics, Inc.; AD Skincare, Inc.; Genten Therapeutics, Inc.; and CRS Bio, Inc.

[2] For the three months ended March 31, 2016, revenue recognized from collaborations with Harvest start-up entities include Thrive Agrobiotics, Inc.