Nature of Operations and Business Activities	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2016
Organization Consolidation And Presentation Of Financial Statements [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 March 31, 2016, the Company had devoted substantially all of its efforts to research and product development, raising capital and building infrastructure, and had not realized revenues from its planned principal operations. The accompanying interim consolidated financial statements have been prepared by the Company, without audit, in accordance with the instructions to Form 10-Q and, therefore, do not necessarily include all information and footnotes necessary for a fair statement of its financial position, results of operations and cash flows in accordance with United States generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP). 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 are 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. Sorrento Therapeutics, Inc. Hong Kong Limited had no operating activity through March 2016. 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. The balance sheet at December 31, 2015 is derived from the audited consolidated financial statements at that date which are not presented herein. In the opinion of management, the unaudited financial information for the interim periods presented reflects all adjustments, which are only normal and recurring, necessary for a fair statement of financial position, results of operations and cash flows. These consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2015. Operating results for interim periods are not expected to be indicative of operating results for the Company’s 2016 fiscal year. Liquidity The Company anticipates that it will continue to incur net losses in 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. On April 3, 2016, the Company entered into a Securities Purchase Agreement (the “ABG Purchase Agreement”) with ABG SRNE Limited and Ally Bridge LB Healthcare Master Fund Limited (collectively, “Ally Bridge”), pursuant to which, among other things, the Company agreed to issue and sell to Ally Bridge and other purchasers that may be designated by Ally Bridge (collectively, the “ABG Purchasers”), in a private placement transaction (the “ABG Private Placement”), up to $50 million in shares of common stock of the Company (“Common Stock”) and warrants to purchase shares of Common Stock. Upon the closing of the ABG Private Placement, the Company will issue to each ABG Purchaser (1) such number of shares (the “ABG Shares”) of Common Stock as is equal to the amount of such ABG Purchaser’s investment divided by $5.55, and (2) a warrant to purchase such number of shares of Common Stock as is equal to 30% of the ABG Shares sold and issued to such ABG Purchaser (each, an “ABG Warrant”); provided that, following the consummation of the ABG Private Placement, Ally Bridge and its affiliates will not beneficially own more than 9.99% of the outstanding shares of Common Stock. Each ABG Warrant will have an exercise price of $8.50 per share, will be immediately exercisable upon issuance, will have a term of three years and will be exercisable on a cash or cashless exercise basis. Under the terms of the ABG Purchase Agreement, the Company is obligated to prepare and file with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), within 30 days of the closing date of the ABG Private Placement, a registration statement to register for resale the ABG Shares and the shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of each ABG Warrant (the “ABG Warrant Shares”), and may be required to effect certain registrations to register for resale the ABG Shares and the ABG Warrant Shares in connection with certain “piggy-back” registration rights granted to the ABG Purchasers. On April 3, 2016, the Company also entered into a Securities Purchase Agreement (collectively, the “Additional Purchase Agreements”) with each of Beijing Shijilongxin Investment Co., Ltd. ( “Beijing Shijilongxin”), FREJOY Investment Management Co., Ltd. (“Frejoy”) and Yuhan Corporation (“Yuhan”), pursuant to which, among other things, the Company agreed to issue and sell, in separate private placement transactions: (1) to Beijing Shijilongxin, 8,108,108 shares of Common Stock, and a warrant to purchase 1,176,471 shares of Common Stock, for an aggregate purchase price of $45 million; (2) to Frejoy, 8,108,108 shares of Common Stock, and a warrant to purchase 1,176,471 shares of Common Stock, for an aggregate purchase price of $45 million; and (3) to Yuhan, 1,801,802 shares of Common Stock, and a warrant to purchase 235,294 shares of Common Stock, for an aggregate purchase price of $10 million. The warrants to be issued pursuant to each of the Additional Purchase Agreements (collectively, the “Additional Warrants” and, together with each ABG Warrant, the “Warrants”) will have an exercise price of $8.50 per share, will be immediately exercisable upon issuance, will have a term of three years and will be exercisable on a cash or cashless exercise basis. Under the terms of the Additional Purchase Agreements, each of Beijing Shijilongxin, Frejoy and Yuhan has the right to demand, at any time beginning six months after the closing of the transactions contemplated by the applicable Additional Purchase Agreement, that the Company prepare and file with the SEC a registration statement to register for resale such investor’s shares of Common Stock purchased pursuant to the applicable Additional Purchase Agreement and the shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of such investor’s Additional Warrant. In addition, the Company may be required to effect certain registrations to register for resale such shares in connection with certain “piggy-back” registration rights granted to Beijing Shijilongxin, Frejoy and Yuhan. The closing of the transactions contemplated by the ABG Purchase Agreement and each of the Additional Purchase Agreements are each subject to customary closing conditions, including obtaining clearance for the issuance of the applicable shares of Common Stock and the Warrants in accordance with the listing requirements of The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC and the completion of due diligence by Ally Bridge, Beijing Shijilongxin, Frejoy and Yuhan, respectively. The Company expects that the closings of the transactions will occur by the end of May 2016. On May 2, 2016 the Company announced that it has closed its previously announced private placement of common stock and warrants with Yuhan Corporation for gross proceeds of $10 million. Yuhan purchased 1,801,802 shares of common stock at $5.55 per share and a warrant to purchase 235,294 shares of common stock. The warrant is exercisable for three years at an exercise price of $8.50 per share. 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 “2013 Shelf Registration Statement”). The 2013 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 the Company has the ability to offer up to $36.6 million of additional securities under the 2013 Shelf Registration Statement. 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 (the “2014 Shelf Registration Statement”). The 2014 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 Statement 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 (the “ATM Facility”). During the three months ended March 31, 2016 the Company sold approximately $3.6 million under the ATM Facility. After the first quarter 2016 sales activities the Company has the ability to offer up to $46.4 million of additional securities under the ATM Facility. 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. 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 covenants 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 March 31, 2016, the Company had devoted substantially all of its efforts to research and product development, raising capital and building infrastructure, and had not realized revenues from its planned principal operations.

The accompanying interim consolidated financial statements have been prepared by the Company, without audit, in accordance with the instructions to Form 10-Q and, therefore, do not necessarily include all information and footnotes necessary for a fair statement of its financial position, results of operations and cash flows in accordance with United States generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP). 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 are 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. Sorrento Therapeutics, Inc. Hong Kong Limited had no operating activity through March 2016. 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.

The balance sheet at December 31, 2015 is derived from the audited consolidated financial statements at that date which are not presented herein.

In the opinion of management, the unaudited financial information for the interim periods presented reflects all adjustments, which are only normal and recurring, necessary for a fair statement of financial position, results of operations and cash flows. These consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2015. Operating results for interim periods are not expected to be indicative of operating results for the Company’s 2016 fiscal year.

Liquidity

The Company anticipates that it will continue to incur net losses in 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.

On April 3, 2016, the Company entered into a Securities Purchase Agreement (the “ABG Purchase Agreement”) with ABG SRNE Limited and Ally Bridge LB Healthcare Master Fund Limited (collectively, “Ally Bridge”), pursuant to which, among other things, the Company agreed to issue and sell to Ally Bridge and other purchasers that may be designated by Ally Bridge (collectively, the “ABG Purchasers”), in a private placement transaction (the “ABG Private Placement”), up to $50 million in shares of common stock of the Company (“Common Stock”) and warrants to purchase shares of Common Stock. Upon the closing of the ABG Private Placement, the Company will issue to each ABG Purchaser (1) such number of shares (the “ABG Shares”) of Common Stock as is equal to the amount of such ABG Purchaser’s investment divided by $5.55, and (2) a warrant to purchase such number of shares of Common Stock as is equal to 30% of the ABG Shares sold and issued to such ABG Purchaser (each, an “ABG Warrant”); provided that, following the consummation of the ABG Private Placement, Ally Bridge and its affiliates will not beneficially own more than 9.99% of the outstanding shares of Common Stock. Each ABG Warrant will have an exercise price of $8.50 per share, will be immediately exercisable upon issuance, will have a term of three years and will be exercisable on a cash or cashless exercise basis.

Under the terms of the ABG Purchase Agreement, the Company is obligated to prepare and file with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), within 30 days of the closing date of the ABG Private Placement, a registration statement to register for resale the ABG Shares and the shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of each ABG Warrant (the “ABG Warrant Shares”), and may be required to effect certain registrations to register for resale the ABG Shares and the ABG Warrant Shares in connection with certain “piggy-back” registration rights granted to the ABG Purchasers.

On April 3, 2016, the Company also entered into a Securities Purchase Agreement (collectively, the “Additional Purchase Agreements”) with each of Beijing Shijilongxin Investment Co., Ltd. ( “Beijing Shijilongxin”), FREJOY Investment Management Co., Ltd. (“Frejoy”) and Yuhan Corporation (“Yuhan”), pursuant to which, among other things, the Company agreed to issue and sell, in separate private placement transactions: (1) to Beijing Shijilongxin, 8,108,108 shares of Common Stock, and a warrant to purchase 1,176,471 shares of Common Stock, for an aggregate purchase price of $45 million; (2) to Frejoy, 8,108,108 shares of Common Stock, and a warrant to purchase 1,176,471 shares of Common Stock, for an aggregate purchase price of $45 million; and (3) to Yuhan, 1,801,802 shares of Common Stock, and a warrant to purchase 235,294 shares of Common Stock, for an aggregate purchase price of $10 million. The warrants to be issued pursuant to each of the Additional Purchase Agreements (collectively, the “Additional Warrants” and, together with each ABG Warrant, the “Warrants”) will have an exercise price of $8.50 per share, will be immediately exercisable upon issuance, will have a term of three years and will be exercisable on a cash or cashless exercise basis.

Under the terms of the Additional Purchase Agreements, each of Beijing Shijilongxin, Frejoy and Yuhan has the right to demand, at any time beginning six months after the closing of the transactions contemplated by the applicable Additional Purchase Agreement, that the Company prepare and file with the SEC a registration statement to register for resale such investor’s shares of Common Stock purchased pursuant to the applicable Additional Purchase Agreement and the shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of such investor’s Additional Warrant. In addition, the Company may be required to effect certain registrations to register for resale such shares in connection with certain “piggy-back” registration rights granted to Beijing Shijilongxin, Frejoy and Yuhan.

The closing of the transactions contemplated by the ABG Purchase Agreement and each of the Additional Purchase Agreements are each subject to customary closing conditions, including obtaining clearance for the issuance of the applicable shares of Common Stock and the Warrants in accordance with the listing requirements of The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC and the completion of due diligence by Ally Bridge, Beijing Shijilongxin, Frejoy and Yuhan, respectively. The Company expects that the closings of the transactions will occur by the end of May 2016.

On May 2, 2016 the Company announced that it has closed its previously announced private placement of common stock and warrants with Yuhan Corporation for gross proceeds of $10 million. Yuhan purchased 1,801,802 shares of common stock at $5.55 per share and a warrant to purchase 235,294 shares of common stock. The warrant is exercisable for three years at an exercise price of $8.50 per share.

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 “2013 Shelf Registration Statement”). The 2013 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 the Company has the ability to offer up to $36.6 million of additional securities under the 2013 Shelf Registration Statement. 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 (the “2014 Shelf Registration Statement”). The 2014 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 Statement 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 (the “ATM Facility”). During the three months ended March 31, 2016 the Company sold approximately $3.6 million under the ATM Facility. After the first quarter 2016 sales activities the Company has the ability to offer up to $46.4 million of additional securities under the ATM Facility. 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. 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 covenants that may restrict the Company’s ability to operate its business.