Collaboration and Licensing Revenue - Summarized Collaboration and Licensing Revenues (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands		3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
		Jun. 30, 2019	Jun. 30, 2018	Jun. 30, 2019	Jun. 30, 2018
Collaborative Arrangement and Arrangement Other than Collaborative [Line Items]
Revenues		$ 35,986	$ 45,275	$ 59,321	$ 84,941
Collaboration and licensing agreements
Collaborative Arrangement and Arrangement Other than Collaborative [Line Items]
Revenues		9,097	17,450	15,067	37,298
ZIOPHARM Oncology, Inc. | Collaboration and licensing agreements
Collaborative Arrangement and Arrangement Other than Collaborative [Line Items]
Revenues		533	3,423	1,699	8,800
Ares Trading S.A. | Collaboration and licensing agreements
Collaborative Arrangement and Arrangement Other than Collaborative [Line Items]
Revenues		0	3,526	0	5,949
Oragenics, Inc. | Collaboration and licensing agreements
Collaborative Arrangement and Arrangement Other than Collaborative [Line Items]
Revenues		181	37	384	162
Intrexon T1D Partners, LLC | Collaboration and licensing agreements
Collaborative Arrangement and Arrangement Other than Collaborative [Line Items]
Revenues		0	703	0	2,031
Intrexon Energy Partners, LLC | Collaboration and licensing agreements
Collaborative Arrangement and Arrangement Other than Collaborative [Line Items]
Revenues		796	819	1,773	2,016
Intrexon Energy Partners II, LLC | Collaboration and licensing agreements
Collaborative Arrangement and Arrangement Other than Collaborative [Line Items]
Revenues		420	553	924	931
Surterra Holdings, Inc. | Collaboration and licensing agreements
Collaborative Arrangement and Arrangement Other than Collaborative [Line Items]
Revenues		160	0	160	0
Genopaver, LLC | Collaboration and licensing agreements
Collaborative Arrangement and Arrangement Other than Collaborative [Line Items]
Revenues		398	1,072	692	2,387
Fibrocell Science, Inc. | Collaboration and licensing agreements
Collaborative Arrangement and Arrangement Other than Collaborative [Line Items]
Revenues		2,462	331	2,845	624
Persea Bio, LLC | Collaboration and licensing agreements
Collaborative Arrangement and Arrangement Other than Collaborative [Line Items]
Revenues		810	306	(462)	515
Harvest start-up entities | Collaboration and licensing agreements
Collaborative Arrangement and Arrangement Other than Collaborative [Line Items]
Revenues	[1]	2,039	5,904	4,762	9,101
Other | Collaboration and licensing agreements
Collaborative Arrangement and Arrangement Other than Collaborative [Line Items]
Revenues		$ 1,298	$ 776	$ 2,290	$ 4,782

[1] For the three and six months ended June 30, 2019 and 2018, revenues recognized from collaborations with Harvest start-up entities include: Thrive Agrobiotics, Inc.; Exotech Bio, Inc.; and AD Skincare, Inc. For the three and six months ended June 30, 2018, revenues recognized from collaborations with Harvest start-up entities also include Genten Therapeutics, Inc. and CRS Bio, Inc.