Nature of Operations and Business Activities	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2015
Accounting Policies [Abstract]
Nature of Operations and Business Activities	1. Nature of Operations and Business Activities Nature of Operations and Basis of Presentation Sorrento Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: SRNE), together with its subsidiaries (collectively, the “Company”) is a biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery, acquisition, development and commercialization of proprietary drug therapeutics for addressing significant unmet medical needs worldwide. The Company’s primary therapeutic focus is oncology, including the treatment of chronic cancer pain, but is also developing therapeutic products for other indications, including immunology and infectious diseases. The Company currently has multiple clinical development programs underway: (i) Chimeric Antigen Receptor-T Cell (“CAR-T”) programs for solid tumors, (ii) resiniferatoxin, or RTX, a non-opiate, ultra-potent and selective agonist of the TRPV-1 receptor for intractable pain in end-stage disease, and (iii) its clinical development programs for its biosimilar/biobetter antibodies. The Company’s pipeline also includes preclinical fully human therapeutic monoclonal antibodies (mAbs), including its biosimilars/biobetters, its fully human anti-PD-L1 and anti-PD-1 checkpoint inhibitors derived from its proprietary G-MAB^® library platform, antibody drug conjugates (ADCs), bispecific antibodies (BsAbs), as well as Chimeric Antigen Receptor-T Cell (CAR-T) and Chimeric Antigen Receptor Natural Killer (NK) cells (CAR.NK™) for adoptive cellular immunotherapy. The Company’s objective is to develop its antibody drug products and adoptive cellular immunotherapies as: (i) First in Class (FIC), and/or (ii) Best in Class (BIC), which may offer greater efficacy and/or fewer adverse events or side effects as compared to existing drugs, as well as fully human therapeutic antibodies derived from its proprietary G-MAB^® antibody platform and ADCs. Through December 31, 2015, the Company had devoted substantially all of its efforts to product development, raising capital and building infrastructure, and had not realized revenues from its planned principal operations. The accompanying consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company’s wholly-owned subsidiaries and those of a variable interest entity where the Company is the primary beneficiary. For consolidated entities where the Company owns or is exposed to less than 100% of the economics, the Company records net income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests in its consolidated statements of operations equal to the percentage of the economic or ownership interest retained in such entities by the respective noncontrolling parties. The Company’s subsidiary, Sorrento Therapeutics, Inc. Hong Kong Limited, had no operating activity through December 2015. All intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation. In determining whether the Company is the primary beneficiary of an entity, the Company applies a qualitative approach that determines whether it has both (i) the power to direct the economically significant activities of the entity and (ii) the obligation to absorb losses of, or the right to receive benefits from, the entity that could potentially be significant to that entity. These considerations impact the way the Company accounts for its existing collaborative relationships and other arrangements. The Company continuously assesses whether it is the primary beneficiary of a variable interest entity as changes to existing relationships or future transactions may result in the Company consolidating or deconsolidating one or more of its collaborators or partners. Reverse Stock Split On July 30, 2013, the Company completed a 1-for-25 reverse split of its common stock. All common shares and per common share amounts in the consolidated financial statements and footnotes have been adjusted retroactively to reflect the effects of this action. Liquidity and Going Concern The Company anticipates that it will continue to incur net losses into the foreseeable future as it (i) advances clinical stage product candidates such as bioSimilar/bioBetter antibodies, CAR-T programs and RTX in the clinic and potentially pursues other development, (ii) continues to identify a number of potential mAb and ADC drug candidates and further advances various preclinical and development activities, (iii) advances its product candidates into the clinic, (iv) invests in additional joint ventures or third party collaboration or acquisition agreements, and (v) expands corporate infrastructure, including the costs associated with being a NASDAQ listed public company. Based on currently available resources, the Company believes it has the ability to meet all obligations due over the course of the next twelve months. The Company plans to continue to fund its operating losses and capital funding needs through public or private equity or debt financings, strategic collaborations, licensing arrangements, asset sales, government grants or other arrangements. The Company filed a universal shelf registration statement on Form S-3 with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), which was declared effective by the SEC in July 2013. The Shelf Registration Statement provides the Company the ability to offer up to $100 million of securities, including equity and other securities as described in the registration statement. After the May 2014 underwritten offering (see Note 6), the Company has the ability to offer up to $36.6 million of additional securities. In November 2014, the Company filed a universal shelf registration statement on Form S-3 with the SEC, which was declared effective by the SEC in December 2014. This Shelf Registration Statement provides the Company with the ability to offer up to $250 million of securities, including equity and other securities as described in the registration statement. Included in the 2014 shelf registration is a sales agreement prospectus covering the offering, issuance and sale by the Company of up to a maximum aggregate offering price of $50.0 million of the Company’s common stock that may be issued and sold under a sales agreement with MLV & Co. LLC. Pursuant to these Shelf Registration Statements, the Company may offer such securities from time to time and through one or more methods of distribution, subject to market conditions and the Company’s capital needs. Specific terms and prices will be determined at the time of each offering under a separate prospectus supplement, which will be filed with the SEC at the time of any offering. However, the Company cannot be sure that such additional funds will be available on reasonable terms, or at all. If the Company is unable to secure adequate additional funding, the Company may be forced to make reductions in spending, extend payment terms with suppliers, liquidate assets where possible, and/or suspend or curtail planned programs. In addition, if the Company does not meet its payment obligations to third parties as they come due, it may be subject to litigation claims. Even if the Company is successful in defending against these claims, litigation could result in substantial costs and be a distraction to management. Any of these actions could materially harm the Company’s business, results of operations, and future prospects. If the Company raises additional funds by issuing equity securities, substantial dilution to existing stockholders would result. If the Company raises additional funds by incurring debt financing, the terms of the debt may involve significant cash payment obligations as well as covenants and specific financial ratios that may restrict the Company’s ability to operate its business.

1. Nature of Operations and Business Activities

Nature of Operations and Basis of Presentation

Sorrento Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: SRNE), together with its subsidiaries (collectively, the “Company”) is a biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery, acquisition, development and commercialization of proprietary drug therapeutics for addressing significant unmet medical needs worldwide. The Company’s primary therapeutic focus is oncology, including the treatment of chronic cancer pain, but is also developing therapeutic products for other indications, including immunology and infectious diseases. The Company currently has multiple clinical development programs underway: (i) Chimeric Antigen Receptor-T Cell (“CAR-T”) programs for solid tumors, (ii) resiniferatoxin, or RTX, a non-opiate, ultra-potent and selective agonist of the TRPV-1 receptor for intractable pain in end-stage disease, and (iii) its clinical development programs for its biosimilar/biobetter antibodies.

The Company’s pipeline also includes preclinical fully human therapeutic monoclonal antibodies (mAbs), including its biosimilars/biobetters, its fully human anti-PD-L1 and anti-PD-1 checkpoint inhibitors derived from its proprietary G-MAB^® library platform, antibody drug conjugates (ADCs), bispecific antibodies (BsAbs), as well as Chimeric Antigen Receptor-T Cell (CAR-T) and Chimeric Antigen Receptor Natural Killer (NK) cells (CAR.NK™) for adoptive cellular immunotherapy. The Company’s objective is to develop its antibody drug products and adoptive cellular immunotherapies as: (i) First in Class (FIC), and/or (ii) Best in Class (BIC), which may offer greater efficacy and/or fewer adverse events or side effects as compared to existing drugs, as well as fully human therapeutic antibodies derived from its proprietary G-MAB^® antibody platform and ADCs.

Through December 31, 2015, the Company had devoted substantially all of its efforts to product development, raising capital and building infrastructure, and had not realized revenues from its planned principal operations.

The accompanying consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company’s wholly-owned subsidiaries and those of a variable interest entity where the Company is the primary beneficiary. For consolidated entities where the Company owns or is exposed to less than 100% of the economics, the Company records net income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests in its consolidated statements of operations equal to the percentage of the economic or ownership interest retained in such entities by the respective noncontrolling parties. The Company’s subsidiary, Sorrento Therapeutics, Inc. Hong Kong Limited, had no operating activity through December 2015. All intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation.

In determining whether the Company is the primary beneficiary of an entity, the Company applies a qualitative approach that determines whether it has both (i) the power to direct the economically significant activities of the entity and (ii) the obligation to absorb losses of, or the right to receive benefits from, the entity that could potentially be significant to that entity. These considerations impact the way the Company accounts for its existing collaborative relationships and other arrangements. The Company continuously assesses whether it is the primary beneficiary of a variable interest entity as changes to existing relationships or future transactions may result in the Company consolidating or deconsolidating one or more of its collaborators or partners.

Reverse Stock Split

On July 30, 2013, the Company completed a 1-for-25 reverse split of its common stock. All common shares and per common share amounts in the consolidated financial statements and footnotes have been adjusted retroactively to reflect the effects of this action.

Liquidity and Going Concern

The Company anticipates that it will continue to incur net losses into the foreseeable future as it (i) advances clinical stage product candidates such as bioSimilar/bioBetter antibodies, CAR-T programs and RTX in the clinic and potentially pursues other development, (ii) continues to identify a number of potential mAb and ADC drug candidates and further advances various preclinical and development activities, (iii) advances its product candidates into the clinic, (iv) invests in additional joint ventures or third party collaboration or acquisition agreements, and (v) expands corporate infrastructure, including the costs associated with being a NASDAQ listed public company. Based on currently available resources, the Company believes it has the ability to meet all obligations due over the course of the next twelve months.

The Company plans to continue to fund its operating losses and capital funding needs through public or private equity or debt financings, strategic collaborations, licensing arrangements, asset sales, government grants or other arrangements. The Company filed a universal shelf registration statement on Form S-3 with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), which was declared effective by the SEC in July 2013. The Shelf Registration Statement provides the Company the ability to offer up to $100 million of securities, including equity and other securities as described in the registration statement. After the May 2014 underwritten offering (see Note 6), the Company has the ability to offer up to $36.6 million of additional securities. In November 2014, the Company filed a universal shelf registration statement on Form S-3 with the SEC, which was declared effective by the SEC in December 2014. This Shelf Registration Statement provides the Company with the ability to offer up to $250 million of securities, including equity and other securities as described in the registration statement. Included in the 2014 shelf registration is a sales agreement prospectus covering the offering, issuance and sale by the Company of up to a maximum aggregate offering price of $50.0 million of the Company’s common stock that may be issued and sold under a sales agreement with MLV & Co. LLC. Pursuant to these Shelf Registration Statements, the Company may offer such securities from time to time and through one or more methods of distribution, subject to market conditions and the Company’s capital needs. Specific terms and prices will be determined at the time of each offering under a separate prospectus supplement, which will be filed with the SEC at the time of any offering. However, the Company cannot be sure that such additional funds will be available on reasonable terms, or at all. If the Company is unable to secure adequate additional funding, the Company may be forced to make reductions in spending, extend payment terms with suppliers, liquidate assets where possible, and/or suspend or curtail planned programs. In addition, if the Company does not meet its payment obligations to third parties as they come due, it may be subject to litigation claims. Even if the Company is successful in defending against these claims, litigation could result in substantial costs and be a distraction to management. Any of these actions could materially harm the Company’s business, results of operations, and future prospects.

If the Company raises additional funds by issuing equity securities, substantial dilution to existing stockholders would result. If the Company raises additional funds by incurring debt financing, the terms of the debt may involve significant cash payment obligations as well as covenants and specific financial ratios that may restrict the Company’s ability to operate its business.