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Organization and Significant Accounting Policies, Revenue Recognition - Revenue Sources (Details) $ in Thousands | 1 Months Ended | 2 Months Ended | 3 Months Ended | 12 Months Ended
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Oct. 31, 2018 USD ($) PerformanceObligation | Feb. 28, 2017 USD ($) PerformanceObligation | Jul. 31, 2015 USD ($) PerformanceObligation | May 31, 2015 USD ($) PerformanceObligation | Sep. 30, 2013 USD ($) PerformanceObligation | Apr. 30, 2013 USD ($) PerformanceObligation | Dec. 31, 2012 USD ($) PerformanceObligation | Mar. 01, 2019 USD ($) | Dec. 31, 2018 USD ($) | Sep. 30, 2018 USD ($) | Jun. 30, 2018 Agreement | Sep. 30, 2017 USD ($) | Jun. 30, 2015 USD ($) | Dec. 31, 2018 USD ($) | Dec. 31, 2017 USD ($) | Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($)
Revenue Recognition [Abstract] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Revenue |  |  |  | $ 91,200 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 599,674 | $ 514,179 | $ 372,776
Period of time after billing when payment is received |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 3 months |  |
Biogen [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Revenue Recognition [Abstract] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Number of agreements | Agreement |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 2 |  |  |  |  |
Licensing and Other Royalties [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Revenue Recognition [Abstract] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Revenue |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 14,755 | 7,474 | 21,884
R&D [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Revenue Recognition [Abstract] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Revenue |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 344,752 | 394,165 | 350,009
Huntington's Disease [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Revenue Recognition [Abstract] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Upfront payment received |  |  |  |  |  | $ 30,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Number of separate performance obligations | PerformanceObligation |  |  |  |  |  | 1 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Transaction price |  |  |  |  |  | $ 30,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Huntington's Disease [Member] | Subsequent Event [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Revenue Recognition [Abstract] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Upfront payment received |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 35,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
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 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Neurology [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Revenue Recognition [Abstract] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Upfront payment received |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 30,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Milestone payments received and added to transaction price |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 10,000 |  |  |  |
Number of separate performance obligations | PerformanceObligation |  |  |  |  |  |  | 1 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Transaction price |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 30,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Cardiac, Renal and Metabolic Diseases [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Revenue Recognition [Abstract] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Upfront payment received |  |  | $ 65,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Revenue |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 10,000 |  |  |  |  |  |
Number of separate performance obligations | PerformanceObligation |  |  | 1 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Transaction price |  |  | $ 65,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Cardiac, Renal and Metabolic Diseases [Member] | R&D [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Revenue Recognition [Abstract] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Revenue |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 10,000 |  |  |  |  |  |
2013 Strategic Neurology [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Revenue Recognition [Abstract] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Upfront payment received |  |  |  |  | $ 100,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Revenue |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 10,000 |  |  |  |  |  |
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 |  |  |  |  |  |  |
2013 Strategic Neurology [Member] | R&D [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Revenue Recognition [Abstract] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Revenue |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 5,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Bayer [Member] | R&D [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Revenue Recognition [Abstract] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Revenue |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 5,000 | $ 67,100 | $ 5,400
Bayer [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Revenue Recognition [Abstract] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Upfront payment received |  |  |  | $ 100,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 100,000 |  |  |
Number of separate performance obligations | PerformanceObligation |  |  |  | 3 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Transaction price |  |  |  | $ 100,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Bayer [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Revenue Recognition [Abstract] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Payment received for advancing programs |  | $ 75,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Number of separate performance obligations | PerformanceObligation |  | 3 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Transaction price |  | $ 75,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |

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