Name:	isis_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesDebtMaturitiesAfterOneThroughTwoYearsPercentage
Namespace Prefix:	isis_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

The percentage of available-for-sale debt securities that mature beyond two years but within three years of the balance sheet date.

No definition available.

Name:	isis_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesDebtMaturitiesAfterTwoThroughThreeYearsPercentage
Namespace Prefix:	isis_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

The aggregate percentage of all available-for-sale debt securities, regardless of maturity.

No definition available.

Name:	isis_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesDebtMaturitiesTotalPercentage
Namespace Prefix:	isis_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

The percentage of available-for-sale debt securities that mature within one year of the balance sheet date.

No definition available.

Name:	isis_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesDebtMaturitiesWithinOneYearPercentage
Namespace Prefix:	isis_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

The percentage of available-for-sale debt securities that mature within two years of the balance sheet date.

No definition available.

Name:	isis_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesDebtMaturitiesWithinTwoYearsPercentage
Namespace Prefix:	isis_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

Represents the net total realized and unrealized gain (loss) for contingent payments included in earnings for the period as a result of selling or holding marketable securities categorized as trading, available-for-sale, or held-to-maturity.

No definition available.

Name:	isis_InvestmentsEquityInvestmentsOtherThanEquityMethodAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	isis_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Number of privately-held companies, in which the entity has an equity ownership interest of less than 20%, with which it conducts business. These are accounted for under the cost method.

No definition available.

Name:	isis_NumberOfPrivatelyHeldCompaniesInWhichEntityHasEquityInvestment
Namespace Prefix:	isis_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

Number of publicly-held companies, in which the entity has an equity ownership interest of less than 20%, with which it conducts business. These are accounted for as available-for-sale securities.

No definition available.

Name:	isis_NumberOfPubliclyHeldCompaniesInWhichEntityHasEquityInvestment
Namespace Prefix:	isis_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- References

No definition available.