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

The floor of a customized range of exercise prices for purposes of disclosing shares potentially issuable under outstanding stock option awards on all stock option plans and other required information pertaining to awards in the customized range.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 718
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (g)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6415400&loc=d3e5070-113901

Name:	us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansExercisePriceRangeLowerRangeLimit
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:perShareItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

The number of shares reserved for issuance pertaining to the outstanding exercisable stock options as of the balance sheet date in the customized range of exercise prices for which the market and performance vesting condition has been satisfied.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 718
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (c)(iii)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6415400&loc=d3e5070-113901

Name:	us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansExercisePriceRangeNumberOfExercisableOptions
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

The number of shares reserved for issuance pertaining to the outstanding stock options as of the balance sheet date for all option plans in the customized range of exercise prices.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 718
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (c)(1)(i)-(ii)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6415400&loc=d3e5070-113901

Name:	us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansExercisePriceRangeNumberOfOutstandingOptions
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

The ceiling of a customized range of exercise prices for purposes of disclosing shares potentially issuable under outstanding stock option awards on all stock option plans and other required information pertaining to awards in the customized range.

Name:	us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansExercisePriceRangeUpperRangeLimit
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:perShareItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Weighted average exercise price as of the balance sheet date for those equity-based payment arrangements exercisable and outstanding.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 718
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (c)(1)(iii)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6415400&loc=d3e5070-113901

Name:	us-gaap_SharebasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansExercisePriceRangeExercisableOptionsWeightedAverageExercisePrice1
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:perShareItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

The weighted average price as of the balance sheet date at which grantees could acquire the underlying shares with respect to all outstanding stock options which are in the customized range of exercise prices.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 718
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (c)(1)(i)-(ii)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6415400&loc=d3e5070-113901

Name:	us-gaap_SharebasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansExercisePriceRangeOutstandingOptionsWeightedAverageExercisePriceBeginningBalance1
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:perShareItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

Weighted average remaining contractual term of outstanding stock options, in 'PnYnMnDTnHnMnS' format, for example, 'P1Y5M13D' represents the reported fact of one year, five months, and thirteen days.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 718
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (e)(1)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6415400&loc=d3e5070-113901

Name:	us-gaap_SharebasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansExercisePriceRangeOutstandingOptionsWeightedAverageRemainingContractualTerm2
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Name:	us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansByExercisePriceRangeAxis=lgnd_ExercisePriceRangeOneMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansByExercisePriceRangeAxis=lgnd_ExercisePriceRangeTwoMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansByExercisePriceRangeAxis=lgnd_ExercisePriceRangeThreeMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansByExercisePriceRangeAxis=lgnd_ExercisePriceRangeFourMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansByExercisePriceRangeAxis=lgnd_ExercisePriceRangeFiveMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: