Represents the average maximum amount of milestone payments receivable per program under the collaborative and licensing agreement.

Name:	isis_AverageMaximumMilestonePaymentReceivablePerProgram
Namespace Prefix:	isis
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Represents the amortization period for amounts received from collaborative and licensing agreement.

+ Details

Name:	isis_CollaborativeArrangementAmortizationPeriod
Namespace Prefix:	isis
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Represents the amount of consideration recognized during the period from collaborative and licensing agreement.

+ Details

Name:	isis_CollaborativeArrangementAmountReceived
Namespace Prefix:	isis
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Represents the maximum amount of license fees and milestone payments receivable under the collaborative and licensing agreement.

+ Details

Name:	isis_MaximumAmountOfLicenseFeesAndMilestonePaymentReceivable
Namespace Prefix:	isis
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Represents the maximum number of programs covered under collaborative and licensing agreement.

+ Details

Name:	isis_MaximumNumberOfProgramsUnderStrategicAlliance
Namespace Prefix:	isis
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Revenue recognized during the period from collaborations where the entity receives payments for expenditures relating to research and development activities, contractual milestone payments, and the manufacture and sale of drug inventory to collaboration partners.

+ Details

Name:	isis_ResearchAndDevelopmentRevenueUnderCollaborativeAgreements
Namespace Prefix:	isis
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Represents the amount of consideration recognized during the period from the expansion of collaborative and licensing agreement.

+ Details

Name:	isis_RevenueRecognitionMilestoneMethodRevenueRecognizedFromExpansionOfCollaboration
Namespace Prefix:	isis
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Represents the amount of upfront fees received during the period under the terms of collaborative and licensing agreement.

+ Details

Name:	isis_UpfrontFeeReceived
Namespace Prefix:	isis
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_CollaborativeArrangementsAndNoncollaborativeArrangementTransactionsLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of deferred revenue as of balance sheet date. Deferred revenue represents collections of cash or other assets related to a revenue producing activity for which revenue has not yet been recognized. Generally, an entity records deferred revenue when it receives consideration from a customer before achieving certain criteria that must be met for revenue to be recognized in conformity with GAAP.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher SEC
-Name Staff Accounting Bulletin (SAB)
-Number Topic 13
-Section A

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 605
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SAB TOPIC 13.A.4(a).Q1 Response)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6600647&loc=d3e214044-122780

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The amount of consideration recognized during the period for the milestone or milestones.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 605
-SubTopic 28
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (e)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6891994&loc=SL6892177-166501

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_RevenueRecognitionMilestoneMethodRevenueRecognized
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

Collaborative Arrangements and Licensing Agreements (Details) (USD $)	1 Months Ended		3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended		16 Months Ended
	May 31, 2011	Mar. 31, 2010	Jun. 30, 2011	Jun. 30, 2010	Jun. 30, 2011	Jun. 30, 2010	Jun. 30, 2011
Collaborations
Revenue recognized			$ 24,305,000	$ 21,143,000	$ 44,319,000	$ 49,699,000
Collaborations \| GlaxoSmithKline
Collaborations
Maximum number of programs under strategic alliance		6
Amount received from expansion of collaboration	3,000,000		3,000,000
Milestone payment received and recognized in revenue			5,000,000				10,000,000
Amount received from collaboration							48,000,000
Upfront fee received							35,000,000
Amortization period for amounts received from collaborative arrangements (in years)							5
Average maximum milestone payments receivable under strategic alliance			20,000,000		20,000,000		20,000,000
Maximum amount of license fees and milestone payments receivable under strategic alliance			1,500,000,000		1,500,000,000		1,500,000,000
Revenue recognized			7,000,000	1,800,000	8,700,000	1,800,000
Deferred revenue related to upfront fee			$ 29,100,000		$ 29,100,000		$ 29,100,000