Contingent Liability, Milestone, Potential Achievements, Net Sales Milestone

No definition available.

Name:	ptct_ContingentLiabilityMilestonePotentialAchievementsNetSalesMilestone
Namespace Prefix:	ptct_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Contingent Liability, Milestone, Potential Achievements, Priority Review Voucher Amount

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	ptct_ContingentLiabilityMilestonePotentialAchievementsPriorityReviewVoucherAmount
Namespace Prefix:	ptct_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Contingent Liability, Milestone, Potential Achievements, Product Sales Percentage

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	ptct_ContingentLiabilityMilestonePotentialAchievementsProductSalesPercentage
Namespace Prefix:	ptct_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Represents the development milestones payments which the entity is obligated to pay under certain contractual agreements.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	ptct_DevelopmentMilestonePaymentObligations
Namespace Prefix:	ptct_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Milestone payment which the entity is obliged to receive upon regulatory approval

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	ptct_MilestonePotentialAchievementsRegulatoryApproval
Namespace Prefix:	ptct_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Upfront Licensing Fee

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	ptct_UpfrontLicensingFee
Namespace Prefix:	ptct_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Details

Name:	srt_CounterpartyNameAxis=ptct_AkceaMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	srt_RangeAxis=srt_MaximumMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_TypeOfArrangementAxis=us-gaap_NoncollaborativeArrangementTransactionsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis=ptct_AgilisMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	srt_ProductOrServiceAxis=us-gaap_ProductMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	srt_CounterpartyNameAxis=ptct_WellcomeTrustLimitedMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Commitments and contingencies - Narrative (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2019	Aug. 23, 2018	Jun. 30, 2016
Akcea
Other Commitments [Abstract]
Upfront licensing fee	$ 12.0
Milestone, Potential Achievements, Regulatory Approval	4.0
Akcea \| Maximum
Other Commitments [Abstract]
Milestone, Potential Achievements, Regulatory Approval	8.0
Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions \| Akcea
Other Commitments [Abstract]
Milestone, Potential Achievements, Regulatory Approval	6.0
Agilis
Other Commitments [Abstract]
Development milestone payments which the entity is obligated to pay		$ 40.0
Agilis \| Maximum
Other Commitments [Abstract]
Development milestone payments which the entity is obligated to pay	60.0
Milestone, potential achievements, priority review voucher amount	535.0
Milestone, potential achievements, net sales amount	$ 150.0
Milestone, potential achievements, product sales	6.00%
Agilis \| Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions
Other Commitments [Abstract]
Development milestone payments which the entity is obligated to pay	$ 40.0
Product \| Wellcome trust
Other Commitments [Abstract]
Development milestone payments which the entity is obligated to pay			$ 0.8
Product \| Wellcome trust \| Maximum
Other Commitments [Abstract]
Development milestone payments which the entity is obligated to pay	$ 22.4