Collaboration Agreements	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2017
Deferred Revenue Disclosure [Abstract]
Collaboration Agreements	Collaboration Agreements The Company evaluates the statement of operations classification of payments between the participants in each of its collaboration agreements at inception based on the nature of the arrangement, the nature of its business operations and the contractual terms of the arrangement. The Company has determined that amounts to be received from collaborators in connection with the collaboration agreements entered into through December 31, 2017 are related to revenue generating activities. The Company uses a contingency-adjusted proportional performance model to recognize revenue over the Company’s performance period for each collaboration agreement that includes upfront and/or milestone-based payments. Costs incurred to date compared to total expected costs are used to determine proportional performance, as this is considered to be representative of the delivery of outputs under the arrangement. Revenue recognized at any point in time is a factor of and limited to cash received and amounts contractually due. Changes in estimates of total expected costs are accounted for prospectively. The Company recognizes revenue from collaboration agreements that do not include upfront and/or milestone-based payments when earned, which is generally in the same period related costs are incurred. Amounts due to collaboration partners are recognized when the related activities have occurred and are classified in the statement of operations, generally as research and development expense, based on the nature of the related activities. Lam Research Corporation In August 2017, the Company entered into a collaboration agreement with Lam Research Corporation (“Lam”) with respect to the development and commercialization of the Hyb & Seq sequencing platform and related assays. Pursuant to the terms of the collaboration agreement, Lam will contribute up to an aggregate of $50.0 million, payable quarterly, based on allowable development costs. Lam is eligible to receive certain single-digit percentage royalty payments from the Company on net sales of certain products and technologies developed under the collaboration agreement. The maximum amount of royalties payable to Lam will be capped at an amount up to three times the amount of development funding actually provided by Lam. The Company will retain exclusive rights to obtain regulatory approval, manufacture and commercialize the Hyb & Seq products. Lam will participate in development through a joint steering committee. The Company will reimburse Lam for the cost of up to 10 full-time Lam employees each year in accordance with the product development plan. In connection with the execution of the collaboration agreement, the Company issued Lam a warrant to purchase up to 1.0 million shares of the Company’s common stock with the number of underlying shares exercisable at any time proportionate to the amount of the $50.0 million commitment that has been provided by Lam. The exercise price of the warrant is $16.75 per share, and it will expire on the seventh anniversary of the issuance date. The warrant was determined to have a fair value of $6.7 million upon issuance, and such amount will be recorded as additional paid in capital proportionately from the quarterly collaboration payments made by Lam. The Company recognized collaboration revenue of $3.7 million for the year ended December 31, 2017. The Company received development funding of $13.4 million related to the Lam collaboration for the year ended December 31, 2017, of which $8.3 million is included in customer deposits in the consolidated balance sheet as of December 31, 2017 representing amounts received in advance. Through December 31, 2017, no amounts are due or have been paid by the Company to Lam for services provided by Lam employees under the terms of the agreement. During 2017, Lam did not exercise any warrants. Celgene Corporation In March 2014, the Company entered into a collaboration agreement with Celgene Corporation (“Celgene”) to develop, seek regulatory approval for, and commercialize a companion diagnostic using the nCounter Analysis System to identify a subset of patients with Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma. Pursuant to the Company's agreement as amended in February 2018, the Company is eligible to receive payments from Celgene totaling up to $27.3 million, of which $5.8 million was received as an upfront payment upon delivery of certain information to Celgene and $21.5 million is for development funding and potential success-based development and regulatory milestones. There have been several amendments to the collaboration agreement and in return the Company has received additional payments totaling $2.1 million. The Company will retain all commercial rights to the diagnostic test developed under this collaboration, subject to certain backup rights granted to Celgene to commercialize the diagnostic test in a particular country if the Company elects to cease distribution or elects not to distribute the diagnostic in such country. Assuming success in the clinical trial process, and subject to regulatory approval, the Company will market and sell the diagnostic assay. The Company achieved and was paid for milestones totaling $6.0 million during 2014. The process of successfully developing a product candidate, obtaining regulatory approval and ultimately commercializing a product candidate is highly uncertain and the attainment of any additional milestones is therefore uncertain and difficult to predict. In addition, certain milestones are outside the Company’s control and are dependent on the performance of Celgene and the outcome of a clinical trial and related regulatory processes. Accordingly, the Company is not able to reasonably estimate when, if at all, any additional milestone payments may be payable to the Company by Celgene. See Note 17. Subsequent Events for an update to this collaboration agreement. The Company recognized collaboration revenue related to the Celgene agreement of $0.2 million, $3.2 million and $2.2 million for the years ended December 31, 2017, 2016 and 2015, respectively. At December 31, 2017, the Company had recorded $5.4 million of deferred revenue related to the Celgene collaboration, of which $3.7 million is estimated to be recognizable as revenue within one year. Merck & Co., Inc. In May 2015, the Company entered into a clinical research collaboration agreement with Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp., a subsidiary of Merck & Co., Inc. (“Merck”), to develop an assay intended to optimize immune-related gene expression signatures and evaluate the potential to predict benefit from Merck’s anti-PD-1 therapy, KEYTRUDA. Under the terms of the collaboration agreement, the Company received $3.9 million in payments during 2015. In connection with the execution of the development collaboration agreement, the Company and Merck terminated the May 2015 clinical research collaboration and moved all remaining activities under the related work plan to the new development collaboration agreement. In February 2016, the Company expanded its collaboration with Merck by entering into a new development collaboration agreement to clinically develop, seek regulatory approval for, and commercialize a companion diagnostic test to predict response to KEYTRUDA in multiple tumor types. During 2016, the Company received $12.0 million upfront as a technology access fee and $8.5 million of preclinical milestone payments. In October 2017, Merck notified the Company of its decision not to pursue regulatory approval of the companion diagnostic test for KEYTRUDA. As a result, the scope of the collaboration was significantly reduced, and activities respecting this collaboration are expected to be materially concluded in 2018. The Company recognized collaboration revenue related to the Merck agreement of $27.0 million, $8.6 million, and $3.7 million for the years ended December 31, 2017, 2016, and 2015, respectively. As of December 31, 2017, the Company had recorded $1.1 million of deferred revenue related to the Merck collaboration, $1.0 million of which is estimated to be recognized as revenue within one year. The Company received development funding of $6.8 million, $8.7 million, and $3.9 million for the years ended December 31, 2017, 2016, and 2015, respectively. Medivation, Inc. and Astellas Pharma, Inc. In January 2016, the Company entered into a collaboration agreement with Medivation, Inc. ("Medivation") and Astellas Pharma Inc. (“Astellas”) to pursue the translation of a novel gene expression signature algorithm discovered by Medivation into a companion diagnostic assay using the nCounter Analysis System. In September 2016, Medivation was acquired by Pfizer, Inc. (“Pfizer”) and became a wholly owned subsidiary of Pfizer. In May 2017, the Company received notification from Pfizer and Astellas terminating the collaboration agreement as a result of a decision to discontinue the related clinical trial. The Company recognized collaboration revenue of $11.5 million and $4.8 million related to the Medivation/Astellas agreement for the years ended December 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively, including the favorable impact of a $1.0 million termination penalty during 2017. The Company achieved and was paid for milestones totaling $6.0 million during 2016. The Company received development funding of $0.9 million and $2.4 million for the years ended December 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively.

Collaboration Agreements

The Company evaluates the statement of operations classification of payments between the participants in each of its collaboration agreements at inception based on the nature of the arrangement, the nature of its business operations and the contractual terms of the arrangement. The Company has determined that amounts to be received from collaborators in connection with the collaboration agreements entered into through December 31, 2017 are related to revenue generating activities.

The Company uses a contingency-adjusted proportional performance model to recognize revenue over the Company’s performance period for each collaboration agreement that includes upfront and/or milestone-based payments. Costs incurred to date compared to total expected costs are used to determine proportional performance, as this is considered to be representative of the delivery of outputs under the arrangement. Revenue recognized at any point in time is a factor of and limited to cash received and amounts contractually due. Changes in estimates of total expected costs are accounted for prospectively.

The Company recognizes revenue from collaboration agreements that do not include upfront and/or milestone-based payments when earned, which is generally in the same period related costs are incurred. Amounts due to collaboration partners are recognized when the related activities have occurred and are classified in the statement of operations, generally as research and development expense, based on the nature of the related activities.

Lam Research Corporation

In August 2017, the Company entered into a collaboration agreement with Lam Research Corporation (“Lam”) with respect to the development and commercialization of the Hyb & Seq sequencing platform and related assays. Pursuant to the terms of the collaboration agreement, Lam will contribute up to an aggregate of $50.0 million, payable quarterly, based on allowable development costs. Lam is eligible to receive certain single-digit percentage royalty payments from the Company on net sales of certain products and technologies developed under the collaboration agreement. The maximum amount of royalties payable to Lam will be capped at an amount up to three times the amount of development funding actually provided by Lam. The Company will retain exclusive rights to obtain regulatory approval, manufacture and commercialize the Hyb & Seq products. Lam will participate in development through a joint steering committee. The Company will reimburse Lam for the cost of up to 10 full-time Lam employees each year in accordance with the product development plan.

In connection with the execution of the collaboration agreement, the Company issued Lam a warrant to purchase up to 1.0 million shares of the Company’s common stock with the number of underlying shares exercisable at any time proportionate to the amount of the $50.0 million commitment that has been provided by Lam. The exercise price of the warrant is $16.75 per share, and it will expire on the seventh anniversary of the issuance date. The warrant was determined to have a fair value of $6.7 million upon issuance, and such amount will be recorded as additional paid in capital proportionately from the quarterly collaboration payments made by Lam.

The Company recognized collaboration revenue of $3.7 million for the year ended December 31, 2017. The Company received development funding of $13.4 million related to the Lam collaboration for the year ended December 31, 2017, of which $8.3 million is included in customer deposits in the consolidated balance sheet as of December 31, 2017 representing amounts received in advance. Through December 31, 2017, no amounts are due or have been paid by the Company to Lam for services provided by Lam employees under the terms of the agreement. During 2017, Lam did not exercise any warrants.

Celgene Corporation

In March 2014, the Company entered into a collaboration agreement with Celgene Corporation (“Celgene”) to develop, seek regulatory approval for, and commercialize a companion diagnostic using the nCounter Analysis System to identify a subset of patients with Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma. Pursuant to the Company's agreement as amended in February 2018, the Company is eligible to receive payments from Celgene totaling up to $27.3 million, of which $5.8 million was received as an upfront payment upon delivery of certain information to Celgene and $21.5 million is for development funding and potential success-based development and regulatory milestones. There have been several amendments to the collaboration agreement and in return the Company has received additional payments totaling $2.1 million. The Company will retain all commercial rights to the diagnostic test developed under this collaboration, subject to certain backup rights granted to Celgene to commercialize the diagnostic test in a particular country if the Company elects to cease distribution or elects not to distribute the diagnostic in such country. Assuming success in the clinical trial process, and subject to regulatory approval, the Company will market and sell the diagnostic assay.

The Company achieved and was paid for milestones totaling $6.0 million during 2014. The process of successfully developing a product candidate, obtaining regulatory approval and ultimately commercializing a product candidate is highly uncertain and the attainment of any additional milestones is therefore uncertain and difficult to predict. In addition, certain milestones are outside the Company’s control and are dependent on the performance of Celgene and the outcome of a clinical trial and related regulatory processes. Accordingly, the Company is not able to reasonably estimate when, if at all, any additional milestone payments may be payable to the Company by Celgene. See Note 17. Subsequent Events for an update to this collaboration agreement.

The Company recognized collaboration revenue related to the Celgene agreement of $0.2 million, $3.2 million and $2.2 million for the years ended December 31, 2017, 2016 and 2015, respectively. At December 31, 2017, the Company had recorded $5.4 million of deferred revenue related to the Celgene collaboration, of which $3.7 million is estimated to be recognizable as revenue within one year.

Merck & Co., Inc.

In May 2015, the Company entered into a clinical research collaboration agreement with Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp., a subsidiary of Merck & Co., Inc. (“Merck”), to develop an assay intended to optimize immune-related gene expression signatures and evaluate the potential to predict benefit from Merck’s anti-PD-1 therapy, KEYTRUDA. Under the terms of the collaboration agreement, the Company received $3.9 million in payments during 2015. In connection with the execution of the development collaboration agreement, the Company and Merck terminated the May 2015 clinical research collaboration and moved all remaining activities under the related work plan to the new development collaboration agreement. In February 2016, the Company expanded its collaboration with Merck by entering into a new development collaboration agreement to clinically develop, seek regulatory approval for, and commercialize a companion diagnostic test to predict response to KEYTRUDA in multiple tumor types. During 2016, the Company received $12.0 million upfront as a technology access fee and $8.5 million of preclinical milestone payments. In October 2017, Merck notified the Company of its decision not to pursue regulatory approval of the companion diagnostic test for KEYTRUDA. As a result, the scope of the collaboration was significantly reduced, and activities respecting this collaboration are expected to be materially concluded in 2018.

The Company recognized collaboration revenue related to the Merck agreement of $27.0 million, $8.6 million, and $3.7 million for the years ended December 31, 2017, 2016, and 2015, respectively. As of December 31, 2017, the Company had recorded $1.1 million of deferred revenue related to the Merck collaboration, $1.0 million of which is estimated to be recognized as revenue within one year. The Company received development funding of $6.8 million, $8.7 million, and $3.9 million for the years ended December 31, 2017, 2016, and 2015, respectively.

Medivation, Inc. and Astellas Pharma, Inc.

In January 2016, the Company entered into a collaboration agreement with Medivation, Inc. ("Medivation") and Astellas Pharma Inc. (“Astellas”) to pursue the translation of a novel gene expression signature algorithm discovered by Medivation into a companion diagnostic assay using the nCounter Analysis System. In September 2016, Medivation was acquired by Pfizer, Inc. (“Pfizer”) and became a wholly owned subsidiary of Pfizer. In May 2017, the Company received notification from Pfizer and Astellas terminating the collaboration agreement as a result of a decision to discontinue the related clinical trial.

The Company recognized collaboration revenue of $11.5 million and $4.8 million related to the Medivation/Astellas agreement for the years ended December 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively, including the favorable impact of a $1.0 million termination penalty during 2017. The Company achieved and was paid for milestones totaling $6.0 million during 2016. The Company received development funding of $0.9 million and $2.4 million for the years ended December 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively.