Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

Commitments and Contingencies - Additional Information (Detail)

v2.4.0.8
Commitments and Contingencies - Additional Information (Detail)
3 Months Ended 3 Months Ended 1 Months Ended 3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2014
USD ($)
Mar. 31, 2013
USD ($)
Mar. 31, 2014
Excess lease facility [Member]
USD ($)
Dec. 31, 2013
Excess lease facility [Member]
USD ($)
Mar. 31, 2014
Other Long Term Assets [Member]
USD ($)
Mar. 31, 2014
Isis Pharmaceuticals Inc. and University of British Columbia [Member]
USD ($)
Mar. 31, 2014
Isis Pharmaceuticals Inc. and University of British Columbia [Member]
Collaboration arrangement [Member]
CAD
Mar. 31, 2014
Isis Pharmaceuticals Inc. [Member]
Collaboration arrangement [Member]
USD ($)
Dec. 31, 2009
Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. [Member]
Collaboration arrangement [Member]
USD ($)
Mar. 31, 2014
Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. [Member]
Collaboration arrangement [Member]
USD ($)
Other Commitments [Line Items]                    
Collaboration agreement aggregate amount                 $ 50,000,000  
Maximum amount receivable                 370,000,000  
Equity investment                   10,000,000
Direct and indirect costs incurred                   30,000,000
Milestone payments             1,600,000 7,750,000    
Amount receivable by Isis from TEVA as a milestone payment               30.00%    
Percentage of un-spent portion to be paid               30.00%    
Obligation to pay patent costs and annual license maintenance fees             8,000      
Milestone payment             100,000 800,000    
Expiry period of agreement of patented license               20 years    
Range of each product line               10 years    
Milestone payment due           20,000,000   20,000,000    
Period of milestone payment           21 days   21 days    
Reserve for contingency of non payment of non-royalty milestone amount           20,000,000   20,000,000    
Milestone payment made           10,000,000   10,000,000    
Balance amount of milestone payment           10,000,000   10,000,000    
Expiration of operating lease agreement 2015-01                  
Expiration of non-cancellable operating lease agreement 2017                  
Cash security deposit         500,000          
Standby letter of credit 300,000                  
Lease liability     3,717,000 3,906,000            
Consolidated rent and facilities expense 700,000 700,000                
Indemnification obligations 0                  
Expenses related to indemnification issues $ 0