XML 54 R34.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT
v3.8.0.1

Investments (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Thousands | Dec. 31, 2017 | Dec. 31, 2016
--- | --- | ---
Schedule of Investments [Line Items] |  |
Investments | $ 508,578 | $ 267,573
Certificates of deposit |  |
Schedule of Investments [Line Items] |  |
Investments | 0 | 960
Commercial paper |  |
Schedule of Investments [Line Items] |  |
Investments | 75,362 | 49,245
Corporate debt securities |  |
Schedule of Investments [Line Items] |  |
Investments | 414,815 | 204,436
Domestic and foreign government agencies debt securities |  |
Schedule of Investments [Line Items] |  |
Investments | $ 18,401 | $ 12,932

X
- Definition Amount of investment in debt and equity securities categorized neither as held-to-maturity nor trading. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 320 -SubTopic 10 -Section 25 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (b) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=75030427&loc=d3e22054-111558 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 320 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 5 -Subparagraph (aa) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=82897076&loc=d3e27232-111563 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 320 -SubTopic 10 -Section 45 -Paragraph 1 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=82896770&loc=d3e26610-111562 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecurities
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | instant

X
- 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_ScheduleOfInvestmentsLineItems
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_CashAndCashEquivalentsAxis=us-gaap_CertificatesOfDepositMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_CashAndCashEquivalentsAxis=us-gaap_CommercialPaperMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis=us-gaap_CorporateDebtSecuritiesMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis=nbix_DomesticAndForeignGovernmentAgenciesDebtSecuritiesMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |