Share-Based Payments - Intrexon Stock Option Plans - Summary of Information About Stock Options Outstanding (Details) - Intrexon Stock Option Plans - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Share-based Compensation, Shares Authorized under Stock Option Plans, Exercise Price Range [Line Items]
Options outstanding, number of options (in shares)	11,382,747	11,640,383
Options outstanding, weighted average exercise price (in usd per share)	$ 28.99	$ 31.25	$ 32.66	$ 22.59
Options outstanding, weighted average remaining life (in years)	7 years 3 months 25 days	8 years 2 months 15 days
Options outstanding, aggregate intrinsic value	$ 2,020	$ 14,969
Options exercisable, number of options (in shares)	5,306,697	3,418,035
Options exercisable, weighted average exercise price (in usd per share)	$ 29.96	$ 28.09
Options exercisable, weighted average remaining life (in years)	6 years 1 month 20 days	6 years 10 months 17 days
Options exercisable, aggregate intrinsic value	$ 2,020	$ 11,852
Price range 1
Share-based Compensation, Shares Authorized under Stock Option Plans, Exercise Price Range [Line Items]
Stock options, exercise price range, lower limit (in usd per share)	$ 2.64	$ 2.65
Stock options, exercise price range, upper limit (in usd per share)	$ 9.30	$ 9.34
Options outstanding, number of options (in shares)	453,371	562,951
Options outstanding, weighted average exercise price (in usd per share)	$ 7.06	$ 6.23
Options outstanding, weighted average remaining life (in years)	3 years 11 months 10 days	4 years 1 month 18 days
Options outstanding, aggregate intrinsic value	$ 2,020	$ 10,172
Options exercisable, number of options (in shares)	453,371	525,755
Options exercisable, weighted average exercise price (in usd per share)	$ 7.06	$ 6.01
Options exercisable, weighted average remaining life (in years)	3 years 11 months 10 days	3 years 11 months 20 days
Options exercisable, aggregate intrinsic value	$ 2,020	$ 9,615
Price range 2
Share-based Compensation, Shares Authorized under Stock Option Plans, Exercise Price Range [Line Items]
Stock options, exercise price range, lower limit (in usd per share)	$ 12.50	$ 15.21
Stock options, exercise price range, upper limit (in usd per share)	$ 21.38	$ 27.19
Options outstanding, number of options (in shares)	3,158,121	2,785,705
Options outstanding, weighted average exercise price (in usd per share)	$ 20.58	$ 23.47
Options outstanding, weighted average remaining life (in years)	8 years 8 months 25 days	8 years 5 months 45 days
Options outstanding, aggregate intrinsic value	$ 0	$ 4,797
Options exercisable, number of options (in shares)	456,942	684,704
Options exercisable, weighted average exercise price (in usd per share)	$ 19.52	$ 21.07
Options exercisable, weighted average remaining life (in years)	7 years 1 month 18 days	7 years 3 months 15 days
Options exercisable, aggregate intrinsic value	$ 0	$ 2,237
Price range 3
Share-based Compensation, Shares Authorized under Stock Option Plans, Exercise Price Range [Line Items]
Stock options, exercise price range, lower limit (in usd per share)	$ 21.43	$ 27.21
Stock options, exercise price range, upper limit (in usd per share)	$ 28.81	$ 29.68
Options outstanding, number of options (in shares)	3,399,721	3,147,242
Options outstanding, weighted average exercise price (in usd per share)	$ 25.55	$ 29.30
Options outstanding, weighted average remaining life (in years)	6 years 10 months 28 days	7 years 5 months 42 days
Options outstanding, aggregate intrinsic value	$ 0	$ 0
Options exercisable, number of options (in shares)	1,804,401	1,400,707
Options exercisable, weighted average exercise price (in usd per share)	$ 25.86	$ 29.35
Options exercisable, weighted average remaining life (in years)	5 years 7 months 38 days	7 years 3 months 22 days
Options exercisable, aggregate intrinsic value	$ 0	$ 0
Price range 4
Share-based Compensation, Shares Authorized under Stock Option Plans, Exercise Price Range [Line Items]
Stock options, exercise price range, lower limit (in usd per share)	$ 28.88	$ 29.70
Stock options, exercise price range, upper limit (in usd per share)	$ 40.99	$ 42.22
Options outstanding, number of options (in shares)	2,751,716	3,590,423
Options outstanding, weighted average exercise price (in usd per share)	$ 32.07	$ 32.89
Options outstanding, weighted average remaining life (in years)	6 years 8 months 12 days	9 years 33 days
Options outstanding, aggregate intrinsic value	$ 0	$ 0
Options exercisable, number of options (in shares)	1,732,250	345,274
Options exercisable, weighted average exercise price (in usd per share)	$ 31.51	$ 37.06
Options exercisable, weighted average remaining life (in years)	6 years 3 months 25 days	6 years 10 months 6 days
Options exercisable, aggregate intrinsic value	$ 0	$ 0
Price range 5
Share-based Compensation, Shares Authorized under Stock Option Plans, Exercise Price Range [Line Items]
Stock options, exercise price range, lower limit (in usd per share)	$ 41.41	$ 43.99
Stock options, exercise price range, upper limit (in usd per share)	$ 65.08	$ 65.34
Options outstanding, number of options (in shares)	1,619,818	1,554,062
Options outstanding, weighted average exercise price (in usd per share)	$ 53.52	$ 54.40
Options outstanding, weighted average remaining life (in years)	7 years 5 months 2 days	8 years 4 months 35 days
Options outstanding, aggregate intrinsic value	$ 0	$ 0
Options exercisable, number of options (in shares)	859,733	461,595
Options exercisable, weighted average exercise price (in usd per share)	$ 53.07	$ 53.06
Options exercisable, weighted average remaining life (in years)	7 years 4 months 18 days	8 years 3 months 30 days
Options exercisable, aggregate intrinsic value	$ 0	$ 0