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Investment in Viking Therapeutics, Inc. (Details) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands, shares in Millions |  | 1 Months Ended | 3 Months Ended | 9 Months Ended | 11 Months Ended |  |
--- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | ---
Jan. 01, 2016 USD ($) | May. 31, 2015 USD ($) $ / shares shares | Apr. 30, 2015 USD ($) | May. 31, 2014 USD ($) program | Sep. 30, 2015 USD ($) | Sep. 30, 2014 USD ($) | Sep. 30, 2015 USD ($) | Sep. 30, 2014 USD ($) | May. 04, 2015 USD ($) | Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($) | Dec. 31, 2013 USD ($)
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Payments to acquire IPO shares |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 9,000 | $ 0 |  |  |
Investment in Viking Therapeutics |  |  |  |  | $ 31,826 |  | 31,826 |  |  | $ 0 |
Note receivable from Viking Therapeutics |  |  |  |  | 5,547 |  | 5,547 |  |  | 0 |
Loss percentage recorded |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 100.00% |  |
Gain on deconsolidation of Viking Therapeutics |  |  |  |  | 0 | $ 0 | 28,190 | 0 |  |  |
Equity in net losses from Viking Therapeutics |  |  |  |  | (2,169) | 0 | (3,040) | 0 |  |  |
Net losses |  |  |  |  | 224,539 | 1,280 | 248,857 | 4,969 |  |  |
Viking's Assets and Liabilities [Abstract] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Cash and cash equivalents |  |  |  |  | 93,770 | 180,663 | 93,770 | 180,663 |  | 160,203 | $ 11,639
Other current assets |  |  |  |  | 1,777 |  | 1,777 |  |  | 1,842 |
Capitalized IPO expenses |  |  |  |  | 0 |  | 0 |  |  | 2,268 |
Total current assets |  |  |  |  | 210,324 |  | 210,324 |  |  | 186,419 |
Other assets |  |  |  |  | 248 |  | 248 |  |  | 207 |
Total assets |  |  |  |  | 521,700 |  | 521,700 |  |  | 258,029 |
Accounts payable |  |  |  |  | 3,143 |  | 3,143 |  |  | 7,698 |
Accrued liabilities |  |  |  |  | 4,156 |  | 4,156 |  |  | 4,866 |
Total current liabilities |  |  |  |  | 16,253 |  | 16,253 |  |  | 22,779 |
Total liabilities |  |  |  |  | 229,519 |  | 229,519 |  |  | 233,621 |
Viking |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Number of programs licensed | program |  |  |  | 5 |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Contingencies for repayment of debt |  |  | $ 20,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Period after close of IPO when debt becomes due |  |  | 1 year |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Viking's Assets and Liabilities [Abstract] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Cash and cash equivalents |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 756 |
Other current assets |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 18 |
Capitalized IPO expenses |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 2,268 |
Total current assets |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 3,042 |
Other assets |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 1 |
Total assets |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 3,043 |
Accounts payable |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 2,211 |
Accrued liabilities |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 77 |
Current portion of notes payable |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 334 |
Total current liabilities |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 2,622 |
Long-term portion of notes payable |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 2,331 |
Total liabilities |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 4,953 |
Debt | Viking |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Convertible loan facility |  |  |  | $ 2,500 |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Interest accrual rate, less than |  |  |  | 5.00% |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Repayment in equity percentage |  |  | 200.00% |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Metabasis Therapeutics |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Viking's Assets and Liabilities [Abstract] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Contingent liability change in amount |  |  |  |  | (3,200) | $ (1,200) | 1,900 | $ 700 |  |  |
Metabasis Therapeutics | Forecast |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Viking's Assets and Liabilities [Abstract] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Contingent liability change in amount | $ (2,600) |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
IPO | Viking |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Ownership after close of IPO (percent) |  |  | 49.90% |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Viking Therapeutics, Inc. |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Investment in Viking Therapeutics |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 34,900 |  |
Net losses |  |  |  |  | 4,700 |  | 18,300 |  |  |  |
Viking's Assets and Liabilities [Abstract] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Total assets |  |  |  |  | 19,000 |  | 19,000 |  |  |  |
Total liabilities |  |  |  |  | $ 5,700 |  | $ 5,700 |  |  |  |
Common Stock |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
IPO shares purchased by the Company (shares) | shares |  | 1.1 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Payments to acquire IPO shares |  | $ 9,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
IPO shares received pursuant to amended MLA (shares) | shares |  | 3.7 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Aggregate value of shares received under licensing agreement |  | $ 29,200 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Equity interest in outstanding common stock of Viking (percent) |  |  |  |  | 48.80% |  | 48.80% |  |  |  |
Common Stock | Viking Therapeutics, Inc. |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
IPO share price (USD per share) | $ / shares |  | $ 8 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Common Stock | Viking Therapeutics, Inc. | IPO |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Shares issued in IPO (shares) | shares |  | 3.5 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
IPO share price (USD per share) | $ / shares |  | $ 8 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
IPO aggregate offering price |  | $ 27,600 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Common Stock Received Pursuant to Master License Agreement | Metabasis Therapeutics |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Viking's Assets and Liabilities [Abstract] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Contingent liability change in amount |  |  |  |  | $ 500 |  | $ 800 |  |  |  |
Viking Therapeutics, Inc. |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Note receivable from Viking Therapeutics |  |  |  |  | $ 5,500 |  | $ 5,500 |  | $ 5,500 |  |

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