Collaboration and Licensing Revenue - Summarized Collaboration and Licensing Revenues (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended				6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2017		Jun. 30, 2016		Jun. 30, 2017		Jun. 30, 2016
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	$ 28,164		$ 27,481		$ 61,229		$ 51,554
Upfront and Milestone Payments
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	10,424		8,055		21,748		13,827
Research and Development Services
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	17,740		19,426		39,481		37,727
ZIOPHARM Oncology, Inc.
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	9,964		6,970		20,949		13,951
ZIOPHARM Oncology, Inc. | Upfront and Milestone Payments
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	4,842		922		9,684		1,844
ZIOPHARM Oncology, Inc. | Research and Development Services
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	5,122		6,048		11,265		12,107
Oragenics, Inc.
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	475		507		1,044		1,313
Oragenics, Inc. | Upfront and Milestone Payments
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	261		261		524		524
Oragenics, Inc. | Research and Development Services
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	214		246		520		789
Fibrocell Science, Inc.
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	1,953		1,394		3,692		3,251
Fibrocell Science, Inc. | Upfront and Milestone Payments
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	605		605		1,210		1,210
Fibrocell Science, Inc. | Research and Development Services
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	1,348		789		2,482		2,041
Genopaver, LLC
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	1,513		1,637		3,193		3,215
Genopaver, LLC | Upfront and Milestone Payments
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	68		68		137		137
Genopaver, LLC | Research and Development Services
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	1,445		1,569		3,056		3,078
S & I Ophthalmic, LLC
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	72		2,358		375		3,544
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	72		2,358		375		3,544
OvaXon, LLC
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	880		808		1,704		1,502
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	880		808		1,704		1,502
Intrexon Energy Partners, LLC
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	1,920		4,212		7,006		8,200
Intrexon Energy Partners, LLC | Upfront and Milestone Payments
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	625		625		1,250		1,250
Intrexon Energy Partners, LLC | Research and Development Services
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	1,295		3,587		5,756		6,950
Persea Bio, LLC
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	266		331		555		655
Persea Bio, LLC | Upfront and Milestone Payments
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	125		125		250		250
Persea Bio, LLC | Research and Development Services
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	141		206		305		405
Ares Trading S.A.
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	2,803		2,218		6,118		4,623
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		3,194		3,194
Ares Trading S.A. | Research and Development Services
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	1,206		621		2,924		1,429
Intrexon Energy Partners II, LLC
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	956		894		2,105		1,444
Intrexon Energy Partners II, LLC | Upfront and Milestone Payments
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	500		500		1,000		1,000
Intrexon Energy Partners II, LLC | Research and Development Services
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	456		394		1,105		444
Intrexon T1D Partners, LLC
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	1,288		310		2,420		310
Intrexon T1D Partners, LLC | Upfront and Milestone Payments
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	272		278		536		278
Intrexon T1D Partners, LLC | Research and Development Services
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	1,016		32		1,884		32
Harvest start-up entities
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	4,452	[1]	939	[2]	7,815	[3]	1,373	[4]
Harvest start-up entities | Upfront and Milestone Payments
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	606	[1]	305	[2]	1,207	[3]	351	[4]
Harvest start-up entities | Research and Development Services
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	3,846	[1]	634	[2]	6,608	[3]	1,022	[4]
Other
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	1,622		4,903		4,253		8,173
Other | Upfront and Milestone Payments
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	923		2,769		2,756		3,789
Other | Research and Development Services
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Collaboration and licensing revenues	$ 699		$ 2,134		$ 1,497		$ 4,384

[1] For the three months ended June 30, 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 June 30, 2016, revenue recognized from collaborations with Harvest start-up entities include Thrive Agrobiotics, Inc.; Exotech Bio, Inc.; and Relieve Genetics, Inc.

[3] For the six months ended June 30, 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.

[4] For the six months ended June 30, 2016, revenue recognized from collaborations with Harvest start-up entities include Thrive Agrobiotics, Inc.; Exotech Bio, Inc.; and Relieve Genetics, Inc.