Balance Sheet Components - Accrued Liabilities and Payables (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Accrued Liabilities, Current [Abstract]
Accrued discounts and rebates	$ 25,463pcyc_AccruedDiscountandRebates	$ 18,125pcyc_AccruedDiscountandRebates
Accrued payroll and employee related expenses	19,941us-gaap_AccruedEmployeeBenefitsCurrent	19,645us-gaap_AccruedEmployeeBenefitsCurrent
Accrued clinical related	17,461pcyc_PayableForClinicalTrialExpenses	14,806pcyc_PayableForClinicalTrialExpenses
Accrued royalty to Celera	14,924	10,646
Accrued outside services	7,254pcyc_AccruedOutsideServices	5,114pcyc_AccruedOutsideServices
Accrued value added taxes	1,357	7,395
Accrued contract manufacturing	1,355pcyc_AccruedContractManufacturing	2,380pcyc_AccruedContractManufacturing
Accrued other	7,684us-gaap_OtherAccruedLiabilitiesCurrent	10,168us-gaap_OtherAccruedLiabilitiesCurrent
Total accrued liabilities	$ 95,439us-gaap_AccruedLiabilitiesCurrent	$ 88,279us-gaap_AccruedLiabilitiesCurrent

Accrued Contract Manufacturing

No definition available.

Name:	pcyc_AccruedContractManufacturing
Namespace Prefix:	pcyc_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Accrued Discount and Rebates

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	pcyc_AccruedDiscountandRebates
Namespace Prefix:	pcyc_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Accrued Outside Services

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	pcyc_AccruedOutsideServices
Namespace Prefix:	pcyc_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Payable for clinical trial expenses

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	pcyc_PayableForClinicalTrialExpenses
Namespace Prefix:	pcyc_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Carrying value as of the balance sheet date of obligations, excluding pension and other postretirement benefits, incurred through that date and payable for perquisites provided to employees pertaining to services received from them. Used to reflect the current portion of the liabilities (due within one year or within the normal operating cycle if longer).

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 02

-Paragraph 20

-Article 5

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Glossary Current Liabilities

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6509677

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 210

-SubTopic 10

-Section 45

-Paragraph 8

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=28358313&loc=d3e6935-107765

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 210

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.20)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 210

-SubTopic 10

-Section 45

-Paragraph 6

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=28358313&loc=d3e6911-107765

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_AccruedEmployeeBenefitsCurrent
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Carrying value as of the balance sheet date of obligations incurred and payable, pertaining to costs that are statutory in nature, are incurred on contractual obligations, or accumulate over time and for which invoices have not yet been received or will not be rendered. Examples include taxes, interest, rent and utilities. Used to reflect the current portion of the liabilities (due within one year or within the normal operating cycle if longer).

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_AccruedLiabilitiesCurrent
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Details

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

- Definition

Carrying value as of the balance sheet date of obligations incurred through that date and payable for royalties.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 942

-SubTopic 210

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.9-03.15(5))

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6876686&loc=d3e534808-122878

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 944

-SubTopic 210

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.7-03.15(a))

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6879938&loc=d3e572229-122910

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 03

-Paragraph 15

-Subparagraph a

-Article 7

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 03

-Paragraph 15

-Subparagraph 5

-Article 9

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_AccruedRoyaltiesCurrentAndNoncurrent
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Carrying value as of the balance sheet date of obligations incurred through that date and payable arising from transactions not otherwise specified in the taxonomy. Used to reflect the current portion of the liabilities (due within one year or within the normal operating cycle if longer).

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_OtherAccruedLiabilitiesCurrent
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Carrying value as of the balance sheet date of liabilities incurred through that date and payable for statutory sales and use taxes, including value added tax.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_SalesAndExciseTaxPayableCurrentAndNoncurrent
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant