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Significant Accounting Policies, Stock-Based Compensation Expense (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands | 3 Months Ended
--- | ---
Mar. 31, 2020 | Mar. 31, 2019
Stock-based Compensation Expense [Abstract] |  |
Stock-based compensation expense | $ 40,790 | $ 45,505
Cost of Products Sold [Member] |  |
Stock-based Compensation Expense [Abstract] |  |
Stock-based compensation expense | 237 | 118
Research, Development and Patent [Member] |  |
Stock-based Compensation Expense [Abstract] |  |
Stock-based compensation expense | 25,556 | 24,435
Selling, General and Administrative [Member] |  |
Stock-based Compensation Expense [Abstract] |  |
Stock-based compensation expense | $ 14,997 | $ 20,952
Employee Stock Options [Member] |  |
Weighted-Average Assumptions [Abstract] |  |
Risk-free interest rate | 1.60% | 2.40%
Dividend yield | 0.00% | 0.00%
Volatility | 58.90% | 60.30%
Expected life | 4 years 8 months 12 days | 4 years 7 months 6 days
Unrecognized Compensation Expense [Abstract] |  |
Unrecognized compensation expense related to non-vested stock options | $ 146,300 |
Weighted average period for recognition | 1 year 4 months 24 days |
ESPP [Member] |  |
Weighted-Average Assumptions [Abstract] |  |
Risk-free interest rate | 1.10% | 2.50%
Dividend yield | 0.00% | 0.00%
Volatility | 47.20% | 45.50%
Expected life | 6 months | 6 months
RSUs [Member] |  |
Weighted-Average Assumptions [Abstract] |  |
Vesting period | 4 years |
Unrecognized Compensation Expense [Abstract] |  |
Unrecognized compensation cost related to non-vested RSUs | $ 114,300 |
Weighted average period for recognition | 1 year 10 months 24 days |
RSUs [Member] | Employees [Member] |  |
Weighted-Average Assumptions [Abstract] |  |
Weighted-average grant date fair value (in dollars per share) | $ 62.30 |
Akcea [Member] |  |
Stock-based Compensation Expense [Abstract] |  |
Stock-based compensation expense | $ 7,300 | $ 18,600
Akcea [Member] | Employee Stock Options [Member] |  |
Weighted-Average Assumptions [Abstract] |  |
Risk-free interest rate | 1.50% | 2.50%
Dividend yield | 0.00% | 0.00%
Volatility | 73.60% | 76.40%
Expected life | 6 years 1 month 6 days | 6 years 1 month 6 days
Akcea [Member] | Board of Director Stock Options [Member] |  |
Weighted-Average Assumptions [Abstract] |  |
Risk-free interest rate | 1.50% |
Dividend yield | 0.00% |
Volatility | 73.30% |
Expected life | 6 years 3 months 18 days |
Akcea [Member] | ESPP [Member] |  |
Weighted-Average Assumptions [Abstract] |  |
Risk-free interest rate | 1.00% | 2.50%
Dividend yield | 0.00% | 0.00%
Volatility | 71.90% | 64.10%
Expected life | 6 months | 6 months
Akcea [Member] | RSUs [Member] | Employees [Member] |  |
Weighted-Average Assumptions [Abstract] |  |
Weighted-average grant date fair value (in dollars per share) | $ 15.84 |
Akcea [Member] | RSUs [Member] | Minimum [Member] |  |
Weighted-Average Assumptions [Abstract] |  |
Vesting period | 6 months |
Akcea [Member] | RSUs [Member] | Maximum [Member] |  |
Weighted-Average Assumptions [Abstract] |  |
Vesting period | 4 years |

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