Share-Based Payments - Intrexon Equity Plans - Summary of Information About Stock Options Outstanding (Details) - Intrexon Equity Plans - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Share-based Compensation, Shares Authorized under Stock Option Plans, Exercise Price Range [Line Items]
Options outstanding, number of options (in shares)	11,093,063	11,382,747
Options outstanding, weighted average exercise price (in usd per share)	$ 27.95	$ 28.99	$ 31.25	$ 32.66
Options outstanding, weighted average remaining life (in years)	6 years 9 months 21 days	7 years 3 months 25 days
Options outstanding, aggregate intrinsic value	$ 169	$ 2,020
Options exercisable, number of options (in shares)	7,002,519	5,306,697
Options exercisable, weighted average exercise price (in usd per share)	$ 30.37	$ 29.96
Options exercisable, weighted average remaining life (in years)	5 years 11 months 20 days	6 years 1 month 20 days
Options exercisable, aggregate intrinsic value	$ 169	$ 2,020
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)	$ 3.17	$ 2.64
Stock options, exercise price range, upper limit (in usd per share)	$ 19.52	$ 9.30
Options outstanding, number of options (in shares)	1,973,818	453,371
Options outstanding, weighted average exercise price (in usd per share)	$ 13.70	$ 7.06
Options outstanding, weighted average remaining life (in years)	7 years 6 months 13 days	3 years 11 months 10 days
Options outstanding, aggregate intrinsic value	$ 169	$ 2,020
Options exercisable, number of options (in shares)	833,007	453,371
Options exercisable, weighted average exercise price (in usd per share)	$ 12.80	$ 7.06
Options exercisable, weighted average remaining life (in years)	4 years 10 months 7 days	3 years 11 months 10 days
Options exercisable, aggregate intrinsic value	$ 169	$ 2,020
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)	$ 19.85	$ 12.50
Stock options, exercise price range, upper limit (in usd per share)	$ 20.94	$ 21.38
Options outstanding, number of options (in shares)	1,914,763	3,158,121
Options outstanding, weighted average exercise price (in usd per share)	$ 20.93	$ 20.58
Options outstanding, weighted average remaining life (in years)	7 years 11 months 25 days	8 years 8 months 25 days
Options outstanding, aggregate intrinsic value	$ 0	$ 0
Options exercisable, number of options (in shares)	500,263	456,942
Options exercisable, weighted average exercise price (in usd per share)	$ 20.92	$ 19.52
Options exercisable, weighted average remaining life (in years)	7 years 7 months 30 days	7 years 1 month 18 days
Options exercisable, aggregate intrinsic value	$ 0	$ 0
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	$ 21.43
Stock options, exercise price range, upper limit (in usd per share)	$ 27.08	$ 28.81
Options outstanding, number of options (in shares)	2,057,126	3,399,721
Options outstanding, weighted average exercise price (in usd per share)	$ 23.29	$ 25.55
Options outstanding, weighted average remaining life (in years)	7 years 2 months 35 days	6 years 10 months 28 days
Options outstanding, aggregate intrinsic value	$ 0	$ 0
Options exercisable, number of options (in shares)	1,248,370	1,804,401
Options exercisable, weighted average exercise price (in usd per share)	$ 23.01	$ 25.86
Options exercisable, weighted average remaining life (in years)	6 years 7 months 38 days	5 years 7 months 38 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)	$ 27.10	$ 28.88
Stock options, exercise price range, upper limit (in usd per share)	$ 29.56	$ 40.99
Options outstanding, number of options (in shares)	2,666,109	2,751,716
Options outstanding, weighted average exercise price (in usd per share)	$ 29.19	$ 32.07
Options outstanding, weighted average remaining life (in years)	5 years 2 months 40 days	6 years 8 months 12 days
Options outstanding, aggregate intrinsic value	$ 0	$ 0
Options exercisable, number of options (in shares)	2,593,151	1,732,250
Options exercisable, weighted average exercise price (in usd per share)	$ 29.20	$ 31.51
Options exercisable, weighted average remaining life (in years)	5 years 2 months 23 days	6 years 3 months 25 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)	$ 29.58	$ 41.41
Stock options, exercise price range, upper limit (in usd per share)	$ 65.08	$ 65.08
Options outstanding, number of options (in shares)	2,481,247	1,619,818
Options outstanding, weighted average exercise price (in usd per share)	$ 47.24	$ 53.52
Options outstanding, weighted average remaining life (in years)	6 years 6 months 32 days	7 years 5 months 2 days
Options outstanding, aggregate intrinsic value	$ 0	$ 0
Options exercisable, number of options (in shares)	1,827,728	859,733
Options exercisable, weighted average exercise price (in usd per share)	$ 47.65	$ 53.07
Options exercisable, weighted average remaining life (in years)	6 years 6 months 15 days	7 years 4 months 18 days
Options exercisable, aggregate intrinsic value	$ 0	$ 0