Collateralized Loan Maximum Amount

No definition available.

Name:	scln_CollateralizedLoanMaximumAmount
Namespace Prefix:	scln_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Collateralized Loan, Option to Extend, Period

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	scln_CollateralizedLoanOptionToExtendPeriod
Namespace Prefix:	scln_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Commitment Agreement, Number Of Loan Agreements

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	scln_CommitmentAgreementNumberOfLoanAgreements
Namespace Prefix:	scln_
Data Type:	xbrli:positiveIntegerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Income derived from certain loans receivable, available-for-sale investments and on cash and cash equivalents the earnings of which reflect the time value of money or transactions in which the payments are for the use or forbearance of money.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	scln_InvestmentIncomeInterestAndTermDepositInterest
Namespace Prefix:	scln_
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.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

Contractual interest rate for funds borrowed, under the debt agreement.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.22(a)(1))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher SEC
-Name Regulation S-X (SX)
-Number 210
-Section 02
-Paragraph 22
-Article 5

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Date when the debt instrument is scheduled to be fully repaid, in CCYY-MM-DD format.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.22(a)(2))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher SEC
-Name Regulation S-X (SX)
-Number 210
-Section 02
-Paragraph 22
-Article 5

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentMaturityDate
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:dateItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Period of time between issuance and maturity of debt instrument, in PnYnMnDTnHnMnS' format, for example, 'P1Y5M13D' represents the reported fact of one year, five months, and thirteen days.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentTerm
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

An amount representing an agreement for an unconditional promise by the maker to pay the Entity (holder) a definite sum of money at a future date more than one year from the balance sheet date, net of any write-downs taken for collection uncertainty on the part of the holder. Such amount may include accrued interest receivable in accordance with the terms of the debt. The debt also may contain provisions and related items including a discount or premium, payable on demand, secured, or unsecured, interest bearing or noninterest bearing, among a myriad of other features and characteristics. This amount does not include amounts related to receivables held-for-sale.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.17)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher SEC
-Name Regulation S-X (SX)
-Number 210
-Section 02
-Paragraph 17
-Article 5

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_NotesAndLoansReceivableNetNoncurrent
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Fair value portion of an agreement for an unconditional promise by the maker to pay the holder a definite sum of money at a future date.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.3(b))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher SEC
-Name Regulation S-X (SX)
-Number 210
-Section 02
-Paragraph 3
-Subparagraph b
-Article 5

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_NotesReceivableFairValueDisclosure
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of expense related to estimated loss from loan and lease transactions.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 225
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.9-04.11)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6879574&loc=d3e536633-122882

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 28
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=31042434&loc=d3e3602-108585

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 310
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 11B
-Subparagraph (c)(2)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=35738203&loc=SL6953423-111524

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher SEC
-Name Regulation S-X (SX)
-Number 210
-Section 04
-Paragraph 11
-Article 9

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ProvisionForLoanAndLeaseLosses
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	dei_LegalEntityAxis=scln_ZensunMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_RelatedPartyTransactionsByRelatedPartyAxis=scln_SciclonePharmaceuticalsInternationalChinaHoldingLtdMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_RelatedPartyTransactionsByRelatedPartyAxis=scln_SciclonePharmaceuticalsChinaLtdMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_RelatedPartyTransactionsByRelatedPartyAxis=scln_SciclonePharmaceuticalsInternationalChinaHoldingLtdAndSciclonePharmaceuticalsChinaLtdMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_AccountsNotesLoansAndFinancingReceivableByReceivableTypeAxis=scln_LoanOneMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_AccountsNotesLoansAndFinancingReceivableByReceivableTypeAxis=scln_LoanTwoMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Loans Receivable (Details)	1 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
Loans Receivable (Details)	May. 31, 2013 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2015 CNY (¥) loan	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($) loan	Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($) loan	Dec. 31, 2013 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2015 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2014 CNY (¥)	Sep. 30, 2014 USD ($)
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Interest and investment income			$ 869,000	$ 161,000	$ 85,000
Zensun [Member]
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Collateralized loan amount, maximum	$ 12,000,000
Allowance for loan losses			0	$ 0
SPIL China [Member] \| Zensun [Member]
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Collateralized loan amount, maximum			11,750,000
Loan receivable			$ 11,750,000
Interest rate			7.50%
Expiration date		Sep. 26, 2017	Sep. 26, 2017
Collateralized loan, option to extend, period		2 years	2 years
SciClone Pharmaceuticals (China) Ltd [Member] \| Zensun [Member]
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Collateralized loan amount, maximum \| ¥		¥ 1,550,000
Loan receivable							¥ 1,550,000	$ 239,000
Interest rate			7.50%
Term		66 months	66 months
SPIL China and SciClone Pharmaceuticals (China) Ltd [Member \| Zensun [Member]
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Commitment agreement, number of loan agreements \| loan		2	2	2
Interest and investment income			$ 800,000	$ 100,000
Loans receivable, fair value			12,700,000
Loan One [Member] \| Zensun [Member]
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Loan receivable			$ 12,000,000
Loan One [Member] \| SPIL China [Member] \| Zensun [Member]
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Loan receivable				$ 4,500,000
Loan Two [Member] \| SPIL China [Member] \| Zensun [Member]
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Loan receivable						$ 7,250,000