The number of agreements entered into with the collaboration partner.

No definition available.

Name:	ions_NumberOfAgreementsWithCollaborationPartner
Namespace Prefix:	ions_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The number of milestone payments achieved during the period under the collaboration agreement.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	ions_NumberOfMilestonePaymentsAchieved
Namespace Prefix:	ions_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The number of new targets advanced during the period under the collaboration agreement.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	ions_NumberOfNewTargetsAdvanced
Namespace Prefix:	ions_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The number of performance obligations at the inception of a contract.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	ions_RevenueFromContractWithCustomerNumberOfPerformanceObligationsAtInceptionOfContract
Namespace Prefix:	ions_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The number of separate performance obligations under the collaboration agreement.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	ions_RevenueFromContractWithCustomerNumberOfSeparatePerformanceObligations
Namespace Prefix:	ions_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The amount of consideration the Company earned or is eligible to earn under the collaboration agreement, including any variable consideration.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	ions_RevenueFromContractWithCustomerTransactionPrice
Namespace Prefix:	ions_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The additional amount of consideration the Company earned under the collaboration agreement that is added to the transaction price.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	ions_RevenueFromContractWithCustomerTransactionPriceAdditions
Namespace Prefix:	ions_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The amount of upfront payments received during the period under the collaboration agreement.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	ions_UpfrontPaymentReceived
Namespace Prefix:	ions_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_RevenueFromContractWithCustomerAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount, excluding tax collected from customer, of revenue from satisfaction of performance obligation by transferring promised good or service to customer. Tax collected from customer is tax assessed by governmental authority that is both imposed on and concurrent with specific revenue-producing transaction, including, but not limited to, sales, use, value added and excise.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 606
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=118956577&loc=SL49130543-203045

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 606
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 5
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=118956577&loc=SL49130545-203045

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_RevenueFromContractWithCustomerExcludingAssessedTax
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	srt_MajorCustomersAxis=ions_BiogenIncMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	srt_ProductOrServiceAxis=ions_LicensingAndOtherRoyaltiesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_TypeOfArrangementAxis=ions_CollaborativeArrangementAndLicensingAgreementEnteredIntoInSeptember2013WithBiogenMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_TypeOfArrangementAxis=ions_CollaborativeArrangementAndLicensingAgreementEnteredIntoInDecember2012WithAstraZenecaMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
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- Details

Name:	us-gaap_TypeOfArrangementAxis=ions_CollaborativeArrangementAndLicensingAgreementEnteredIntoInOctober2018WithRocheMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
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- Details

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Namespace Prefix:
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- Details

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- Details

Name:	us-gaap_TypeOfArrangementAxis=ions_CollaborativeArrangementAndLicensingAgreementEnteredIntoInOctober2019WithPfizerMember
Namespace Prefix:
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- Details

Name:	us-gaap_TypeOfArrangementAxis=ions_CollaborativeArrangementAndLicensingAgreementEnteredIntoInMarch2004WithAlnylamPharmaceuticalsIncMember
Namespace Prefix:
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- Details

Name:	us-gaap_TypeOfArrangementAxis=ions_CollaborativeArrangementsAndLicensingAgreementsBayerMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
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- Details

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Organization and Significant Accounting Policies, Revenue Recognition (Details) $ in Thousands	1 Months Ended					3 Months Ended							12 Months Ended
	Oct. 31, 2018 USD ($) PerformanceObligation	Feb. 28, 2017 USD ($) PerformanceObligation	May 31, 2015 USD ($) PerformanceObligation	Sep. 30, 2013 USD ($) PerformanceObligation	Dec. 31, 2012 USD ($) PerformanceObligation	Dec. 31, 2019 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2019 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2019 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2018 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2018 USD ($) Agreement	Sep. 30, 2017 USD ($) Target Payment	Jun. 30, 2015 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2019 USD ($) PerformanceObligation Payment	Dec. 31, 2018 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2017 USD ($)	Apr. 30, 2018 USD ($) PerformanceObligation
Revenue Recognition [Abstract]
Number of performance obligations at inception of contract \| PerformanceObligation													1
Revenue													$ 1,122,599	$ 599,674	$ 514,179
Biogen [Member]
Revenue Recognition [Abstract]
Number of agreements \| Agreement										2
Licensing and Other Royalties [Member]
Revenue Recognition [Abstract]
Revenue													$ 17,205	$ 14,755	$ 7,474
2013 Strategic Neurology [Member]
Revenue Recognition [Abstract]
Revenue							$ (16,500)
Upfront payment received				$ 100,000
Number of separate performance obligations \| PerformanceObligation				1
Transaction price				$ 100,000
2013 Strategic Neurology [Member] \| Licensing and Other Royalties [Member]
Revenue Recognition [Abstract]
Revenue									$ 35,000
AstraZeneca [Member]
Revenue Recognition [Abstract]
Revenue									30,000
Upfront payment received					$ 31,000	$ 10,000
Number of separate performance obligations \| PerformanceObligation					4
IONIS-FB-L for Complement-Mediated Diseases [Member]
Revenue Recognition [Abstract]
Upfront payment received	$ 75,000								$ 75,000
Number of separate performance obligations \| PerformanceObligation	1
Transaction price	$ 75,000
2018 Strategic Neurology [Member]
Revenue Recognition [Abstract]
Upfront payment received										$ 375,000
Number of milestone payments achieved \| Payment											2		4
Milestone payments received and added to transaction price											$ 7,500
Number of new targets advanced \| Target											2
Number of separate performance obligations \| PerformanceObligation																1
Transaction price																$ 552,000
2012 Neurology [Member]
Revenue Recognition [Abstract]
Revenue						10,000	$ 6,300
Upfront payment received					$ 30,000
2012 Neurology [Member] \| Licensing and Other Royalties [Member]
Revenue Recognition [Abstract]
Revenue						45,000
Pfizer [Member]
Revenue Recognition [Abstract]
Revenue						246,000
Alnylam [Member] \| Licensing and Other Royalties [Member]
Revenue Recognition [Abstract]
Upfront payment received								$ 20,000
Bayer [Member]
Revenue Recognition [Abstract]
Revenue						$ 10,000
Number of separate performance obligations \| PerformanceObligation		3
Bayer [Member]
Revenue Recognition [Abstract]
Upfront payment received			$ 100,000									$ 100,000
Number of separate performance obligations \| PerformanceObligation			3
Bayer [Member]
Revenue Recognition [Abstract]
Upfront payment received		$ 75,000
Transaction price		$ 75,000