Income Taxes - Reconciliation between statutory rate and effective rate (Details)	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2023	Dec. 31, 2022
Reconciliation between the tax provision computed at the federal statutory income tax rate
Federal tax at statutory rate (as a percent)	21.00%	21.00%
Stock compensation and other permanent differences (as a percent)	(1.00%)
Nondeductible executive compensation (as a percent)	(1.00%)	(1.00%)
Valuation allowance (as a percent)	(19.00%)	(20.00%)
Total (as a percent)

Percentage of current income tax expense (benefit) and deferred income tax expense (benefit) pertaining to continuing operations.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Topic 740
-SubTopic 10
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 50
-Paragraph 12
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147482685/740-10-50-12

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateContinuingOperations
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	dtr-types:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Percentage of domestic federal statutory tax rate applicable to pretax income (loss).

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Topic 235
-SubTopic 10
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.4-08(h)(2))
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147480678/235-10-S99-1

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Topic 740
-SubTopic 10
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 50
-Paragraph 12
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147482685/740-10-50-12

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Topic 740
-SubTopic 10
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SAB Topic 6.I.Fact.4)
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147479360/740-10-S99-1

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationAtFederalStatutoryIncomeTaxRate
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	dtr-types:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Percentage of the difference between reported income tax expense (benefit) and expected income tax expense (benefit) computed by applying the domestic federal statutory income tax rates to pretax income (loss) from continuing operations attributable to changes in the valuation allowance for deferred tax assets.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Topic 740
-SubTopic 10
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 50
-Paragraph 12
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147482685/740-10-50-12

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Topic 740
-SubTopic 10
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SAB Topic 6.I.Fact.4)
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147479360/740-10-S99-1

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationChangeInDeferredTaxAssetsValuationAllowance
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	dtr-types:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

A roll forward is a reconciliation of a concept from the beginning of a period to the end of a period.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ReconciliationOfUnrecognizedTaxBenefitsExcludingAmountsPertainingToExaminedTaxReturnsRollForward
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Percentage of difference between reported income tax expense (benefit) and expected income tax expense (benefit) computed by applying domestic federal statutory income tax rate to pretax income (loss) from continuing operation, attributable to nondeductible expense for executive compensation.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	xoma_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationNondeductibleExpenseExecutiveCompensationPercent
Namespace Prefix:	xoma_
Data Type:	dtr-types:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	xoma_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationStockCompensationAndOtherPermanentDifferencesPercent
Namespace Prefix:	xoma_
Data Type:	dtr-types:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration