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Basis of Presentation (Details 4)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]
Risk-free interest rate	1.90%us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardFairValueAssumptionsRiskFreeInterestRate
Risk-free interest rate, minimum		1.13%us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardFairValueAssumptionsRiskFreeInterestRateMinimum	0.83%us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardFairValueAssumptionsRiskFreeInterestRateMinimum
Risk-free interest rate, maximum		1.82%us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardFairValueAssumptionsRiskFreeInterestRateMaximum	1.14%us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardFairValueAssumptionsRiskFreeInterestRateMaximum
Dividend yield rate	0.00%us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardFairValueAssumptionsExpectedDividendRate	0.00%us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardFairValueAssumptionsExpectedDividendRate	0.00%us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardFairValueAssumptionsExpectedDividendRate
Expected volatility rate, minimum	62.00%us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardFairValueAssumptionsExpectedVolatilityRateMinimum	69.00%us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardFairValueAssumptionsExpectedVolatilityRateMinimum	69.00%us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardFairValueAssumptionsExpectedVolatilityRateMinimum
Expected volatility rate, maximum	69.00%us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardFairValueAssumptionsExpectedVolatilityRateMaximum
Expected term	6 years	6 years	6 years
Forfeiture rate, minimum	8.60%lgnd_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardFairValueAssumptionsForfeitureRateMinimum	8.40%lgnd_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardFairValueAssumptionsForfeitureRateMinimum	8.00%lgnd_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardFairValueAssumptionsForfeitureRateMinimum
Forfeiture rate, maximum	9.70%lgnd_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardFairValueAssumptionsForfeitureRateMaximum	9.80%lgnd_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardFairValueAssumptionsForfeitureRateMaximum	11.20%lgnd_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardFairValueAssumptionsForfeitureRateMaximum

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- Definition

Share-Based Compensation Arrangement By Share-Based Payment Award, Fair Value Assumptions, Forfeiture Rate, Maximum

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Share-Based Compensation Arrangement By Share-Based Payment Award, Fair Value Assumptions, Forfeiture Rate, Minimum

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- Definition

The estimated dividend rate (a percentage of the share price) to be paid (expected dividends) to holders of the underlying shares over the option's term.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 718

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 2

-Subparagraph (f)(2)(iii)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6415400&loc=d3e5070-113901

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- Definition

Expected term of share-based compensation awards, in 'PnYnMnDTnHnMnS' format, for example, 'P1Y5M13D' represents the reported fact of one year, five months, and thirteen days.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 718

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SAB TOPIC 14.D.2)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=27013229&loc=d3e301413-122809



Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 718

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 2

-Subparagraph (f)(2)(i)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6415400&loc=d3e5070-113901



Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Staff Accounting Bulletin (SAB)

-Number Topic 14

-Section D

-Subsection 2

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The estimated measure of the maximum percentage by which a share price is expected to fluctuate during a period. Volatility also may be defined as a probability-weighted measure of the dispersion of returns about the mean. The volatility of a share price is the standard deviation of the continuously compounded rates of return on the share over a specified period. That is the same as the standard deviation of the differences in the natural logarithms of the stock prices plus dividends, if any, over the period.

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The estimated measure of the minimum percentage by which a share price is expected to fluctuate during a period. Volatility also may be defined as a probability-weighted measure of the dispersion of returns about the mean. The volatility of a share price is the standard deviation of the continuously compounded rates of return on the share over a specified period. That is the same as the standard deviation of the differences in the natural logarithms of the stock prices plus dividends, if any, over the period.

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- Definition

The risk-free interest rate assumption that is used in valuing an option on its own shares.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 718

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 2

-Subparagraph (f)(2)(iv)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6415400&loc=d3e5070-113901

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The maximum risk-free interest rate assumption that is used in valuing an option on its own shares.

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The minimum risk-free interest rate assumption that is used in valuing an option on its own shares.

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