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Income Taxes (Details Textual) (USD $) | 12 Months Ended
--- | ---
Dec. 31, 2014 | Dec. 31, 2013 | Dec. 31, 2012
Operating Loss Carryforwards [Line Items] |  |  |
Valuation allowance, change in amount | $ 9,800,000us-gaap_ValuationAllowanceDeferredTaxAssetChangeInAmount | $ (5,400,000)us-gaap_ValuationAllowanceDeferredTaxAssetChangeInAmount | $ 41,800,000us-gaap_ValuationAllowanceDeferredTaxAssetChangeInAmount
Unrecognized tax benefits that would impact deferred tax assets and valuation allowance, and not impact effective tax rate | 8,500,000lgnd_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsThatWouldImpactDeferredTaxAssetsAndValuationAllowanceAndNotImpactEffectiveTaxRate |  |
Liability for uncertain tax positions | 32,000lgnd_LiabilityforUncertainTaxPositions | 31,000lgnd_LiabilityforUncertainTaxPositions |
Change to valuation allowance | 1,100,000lgnd_ValuationAllowanceUncertainTaxPositionsPeriodChange | 0lgnd_ValuationAllowanceUncertainTaxPositionsPeriodChange | 0lgnd_ValuationAllowanceUncertainTaxPositionsPeriodChange
Realization Of Excess Tax Benefits From Share Based Compensation |  |  |
Operating Loss Carryforwards [Line Items] |  |  |
Deferred tax assets not recognized related to share-based compensation | 8,100,000lgnd_DeferredTaxAssetsExcessTaxBenefitsFromShareBasedCompensationAmountNotRealized / us-gaap_ValuationAllowanceByDeferredTaxAssetAxis = lgnd_RealizationOfExcessTaxBenefitsFromShareBasedCompensationMember | 2,400,000lgnd_DeferredTaxAssetsExcessTaxBenefitsFromShareBasedCompensationAmountNotRealized / us-gaap_ValuationAllowanceByDeferredTaxAssetAxis = lgnd_RealizationOfExcessTaxBenefitsFromShareBasedCompensationMember |
Valuation allowance, change in amount | 700,000us-gaap_ValuationAllowanceDeferredTaxAssetChangeInAmount / us-gaap_ValuationAllowanceByDeferredTaxAssetAxis = lgnd_RealizationOfExcessTaxBenefitsFromShareBasedCompensationMember | 1,000,000us-gaap_ValuationAllowanceDeferredTaxAssetChangeInAmount / us-gaap_ValuationAllowanceByDeferredTaxAssetAxis = lgnd_RealizationOfExcessTaxBenefitsFromShareBasedCompensationMember | 0us-gaap_ValuationAllowanceDeferredTaxAssetChangeInAmount / us-gaap_ValuationAllowanceByDeferredTaxAssetAxis = lgnd_RealizationOfExcessTaxBenefitsFromShareBasedCompensationMember
Research Tax Credit Carryforward |  |  |
Operating Loss Carryforwards [Line Items] |  |  |
Tax credit carryforward | 18,700,000us-gaap_TaxCreditCarryforwardAmount / us-gaap_TaxCreditCarryforwardAxis = us-gaap_ResearchMember |  |
California and New Jersey Research Tax Credit Carryforward |  |  |
Operating Loss Carryforwards [Line Items] |  |  |
Tax credit carryforward | 14,000,000us-gaap_TaxCreditCarryforwardAmount / us-gaap_TaxCreditCarryforwardAxis = lgnd_CaliforniaAndNewJerseyResearchTaxCreditCarryforwardMember |  |
Internal Revenue Service (IRS) |  |  |
Operating Loss Carryforwards [Line Items] |  |  |
Operating loss carryforward | 563,700,000us-gaap_OperatingLossCarryforwards / us-gaap_IncomeTaxAuthorityAxis = us-gaap_InternalRevenueServiceIRSMember |  |
State and Local Jurisdiction |  |  |
Operating Loss Carryforwards [Line Items] |  |  |
Operating loss carryforward | $ 167,300,000us-gaap_OperatingLossCarryforwards / us-gaap_IncomeTaxAuthorityAxis = us-gaap_StateAndLocalJurisdictionMember |  |

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- Definition Unrecognized Tax Benefits that Would Impact Deferred Tax Assets and Valuation Allowance, and Not Impact Effective Tax Rate + References No definition available. + Details
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- Definition Amount of operating loss carryforward, before tax effects, available to reduce future taxable income under enacted tax laws. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 740 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 3 -Subparagraph (a) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6907707&loc=d3e32559-109319 + Details
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