Carrying Value and Fair Value of Certain Financial Assets and Liabilities Measured at Fair Value on Recurring Basis (Detail) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Jun. 30, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Fair Value Assets And Liabilities Measured On Recurring And Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Cash held in escrow		$ 6,434
Restricted marketable securities	6	10
Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring | Carrying (Reported) Amount, Fair Value Disclosure
Fair Value Assets And Liabilities Measured On Recurring And Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Cash and cash equivalents	102,732	66,029
Cash held in escrow		6,434
Restricted marketable securities	6	10
Available-for-sale securities	18	58
Warrant participations	417	423
Total marketable securities, Fair Value Measurement	77,377	140,016
Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring | Fair Value Measurement | Level 1
Fair Value Assets And Liabilities Measured On Recurring And Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Cash and cash equivalents	102,732	66,029
Cash held in escrow		6,434
Restricted marketable securities	6	10
Available-for-sale securities	18	58
Warrant participations
Total marketable securities, Fair Value Measurement	77,377	140,016
Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring | Fair Value Measurement | Level 2
Fair Value Assets And Liabilities Measured On Recurring And Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Cash and cash equivalents
Cash held in escrow
Restricted marketable securities
Available-for-sale securities
Warrant participations
Total marketable securities, Fair Value Measurement
Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring | Fair Value Measurement | Level 3
Fair Value Assets And Liabilities Measured On Recurring And Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Cash and cash equivalents
Cash held in escrow
Restricted marketable securities
Available-for-sale securities
Warrant participations	417	423
Total marketable securities, Fair Value Measurement
NuPathe | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring | Common Stock | Carrying (Reported) Amount, Fair Value Disclosure
Fair Value Assets And Liabilities Measured On Recurring And Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Ownership interest	15,791	8,897
NuPathe | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring | Common Stock | Fair Value Measurement | Level 1
Fair Value Assets And Liabilities Measured On Recurring And Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Ownership interest	15,791	8,897
NuPathe | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring | Common Stock | Fair Value Measurement | Level 2
Fair Value Assets And Liabilities Measured On Recurring And Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Ownership interest
NuPathe | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring | Common Stock | Fair Value Measurement | Level 3
Fair Value Assets And Liabilities Measured On Recurring And Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Ownership interest
NuPathe | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring | Preferred stock, warrants and options | Carrying (Reported) Amount, Fair Value Disclosure
Fair Value Assets And Liabilities Measured On Recurring And Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Ownership interest	3,572
NuPathe | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring | Preferred stock, warrants and options | Fair Value Measurement | Level 1
Fair Value Assets And Liabilities Measured On Recurring And Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Ownership interest
NuPathe | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring | Preferred stock, warrants and options | Fair Value Measurement | Level 2
Fair Value Assets And Liabilities Measured On Recurring And Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Ownership interest
NuPathe | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring | Preferred stock, warrants and options | Fair Value Measurement | Level 3
Fair Value Assets And Liabilities Measured On Recurring And Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Ownership interest	3,572
NuPathe | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring | Preferred Stock Warrants | Carrying (Reported) Amount, Fair Value Disclosure
Fair Value Assets And Liabilities Measured On Recurring And Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Ownership interest		12,075
NuPathe | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring | Preferred Stock Warrants | Fair Value Measurement | Level 1
Fair Value Assets And Liabilities Measured On Recurring And Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Ownership interest
NuPathe | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring | Preferred Stock Warrants | Fair Value Measurement | Level 2
Fair Value Assets And Liabilities Measured On Recurring And Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Ownership interest
NuPathe | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring | Preferred Stock Warrants | Fair Value Measurement | Level 3
Fair Value Assets And Liabilities Measured On Recurring And Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Ownership interest		12,075
Commercial paper | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring | Carrying (Reported) Amount, Fair Value Disclosure
Fair Value Assets And Liabilities Measured On Recurring And Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Total marketable securities, Fair Value Measurement	19,237	50,932
Commercial paper | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring | Fair Value Measurement | Level 1
Fair Value Assets And Liabilities Measured On Recurring And Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Total marketable securities, Fair Value Measurement	19,237	50,932
Commercial paper | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring | Fair Value Measurement | Level 2
Fair Value Assets And Liabilities Measured On Recurring And Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Total marketable securities, Fair Value Measurement
Commercial paper | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring | Fair Value Measurement | Level 3
Fair Value Assets And Liabilities Measured On Recurring And Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Total marketable securities, Fair Value Measurement
U.S. Treasury Bills | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring | Carrying (Reported) Amount, Fair Value Disclosure
Fair Value Assets And Liabilities Measured On Recurring And Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Total marketable securities, Fair Value Measurement	18,180	21,352
U.S. Treasury Bills | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring | Fair Value Measurement | Level 1
Fair Value Assets And Liabilities Measured On Recurring And Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Total marketable securities, Fair Value Measurement	18,180	21,352
U.S. Treasury Bills | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring | Fair Value Measurement | Level 2
Fair Value Assets And Liabilities Measured On Recurring And Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Total marketable securities, Fair Value Measurement
U.S. Treasury Bills | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring | Fair Value Measurement | Level 3
Fair Value Assets And Liabilities Measured On Recurring And Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Total marketable securities, Fair Value Measurement
Government agency bonds | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring | Carrying (Reported) Amount, Fair Value Disclosure
Fair Value Assets And Liabilities Measured On Recurring And Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Total marketable securities, Fair Value Measurement	22,166	45,909
Government agency bonds | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring | Fair Value Measurement | Level 1
Fair Value Assets And Liabilities Measured On Recurring And Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Total marketable securities, Fair Value Measurement	22,166	45,909
Government agency bonds | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring | Fair Value Measurement | Level 2
Fair Value Assets And Liabilities Measured On Recurring And Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Total marketable securities, Fair Value Measurement
Government agency bonds | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring | Fair Value Measurement | Level 3
Fair Value Assets And Liabilities Measured On Recurring And Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Total marketable securities, Fair Value Measurement
Certificates of deposit | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring | Carrying (Reported) Amount, Fair Value Disclosure
Fair Value Assets And Liabilities Measured On Recurring And Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Total marketable securities, Fair Value Measurement	17,794	21,823
Certificates of deposit | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring | Fair Value Measurement | Level 1
Fair Value Assets And Liabilities Measured On Recurring And Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Total marketable securities, Fair Value Measurement	17,794	21,823
Certificates of deposit | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring | Fair Value Measurement | Level 2
Fair Value Assets And Liabilities Measured On Recurring And Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Total marketable securities, Fair Value Measurement
Certificates of deposit | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring | Fair Value Measurement | Level 3
Fair Value Assets And Liabilities Measured On Recurring And Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Total marketable securities, Fair Value Measurement