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Fair Value Measurements Fair Value Measurement - Additional Information (Details) - USD ($) | 9 Months Ended |  |
--- | --- | --- | ---
Sep. 30, 2017 | Sep. 30, 2016 | Dec. 31, 2016 | Aug. 31, 2014
Liabilities: |  |  |  |
Receipt of repayment on note receivable | $ 200,000 | $ 300,000 |  |
2019 convertible senior notes |  |  |  |
Liabilities: |  |  |  |
Principal amount outstanding | 245,000,000 |  | $ 245,000,000 |
2019 convertible senior notes | Senior Notes |  |  |  |
Liabilities: |  |  |  |
Principal amount outstanding |  |  |  | $ 245,000,000.0
Estimated fair value of debt | 447,000,000 |  |  |
Recurring |  |  |  |
Assets: |  |  |  |
Assets, fair value | 173,637,000 |  | 126,187,000 |
Liabilities: |  |  |  |
Liabilities, fair value | 5,695,000 |  | 3,388,000 |
Recurring | Current contingent liabilities-CyDex |  |  |  |
Liabilities: |  |  |  |
Liabilities, fair value | 86,000 |  | 101,000 |
Recurring | Long-term contingent liabilities-CyDex |  |  |  |
Liabilities: |  |  |  |
Liabilities, fair value | 1,503,000 |  | 1,503,000 |
Recurring | Long-term contingent liabilities-Metabasis |  |  |  |
Liabilities: |  |  |  |
Liabilities, fair value | 3,693,000 |  | 1,413,000 |
Recurring | Liability for amounts owed to former licensees |  |  |  |
Liabilities: |  |  |  |
Liabilities, fair value | 413,000 |  | 371,000 |
Recurring | Short-term investments |  |  |  |
Assets: |  |  |  |
Assets, fair value | 169,520,000 |  | 122,296,000 |
Recurring | Note receivable Viking Therapeutics, Inc. |  |  |  |
Assets: |  |  |  |
Assets, fair value | $ 3,007,000 |  | 3,207,000 |
Liabilities: |  |  |  |
Volatility of common stock (as a percent) | 75.00% |  |  |
Recurring | Investment in warrants |  |  |  |
Assets: |  |  |  |
Assets, fair value | $ 1,110,000 |  | 684,000 |
Recurring | Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1) |  |  |  |
Assets: |  |  |  |
Assets, fair value | 3,863,000 |  | 3,738,000 |
Liabilities: |  |  |  |
Liabilities, fair value | 413,000 |  | 371,000 |
Recurring | Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1) | Current contingent liabilities-CyDex |  |  |  |
Liabilities: |  |  |  |
Liabilities, fair value | 0 |  | 0 |
Recurring | Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1) | Long-term contingent liabilities-CyDex |  |  |  |
Liabilities: |  |  |  |
Liabilities, fair value | 0 |  | 0 |
Recurring | Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1) | Long-term contingent liabilities-Metabasis |  |  |  |
Liabilities: |  |  |  |
Liabilities, fair value | 0 |  | 0 |
Recurring | Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1) | Liability for amounts owed to former licensees |  |  |  |
Liabilities: |  |  |  |
Liabilities, fair value | 413,000 |  | 371,000 |
Recurring | Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1) | Short-term investments |  |  |  |
Assets: |  |  |  |
Assets, fair value | 2,753,000 |  | 3,054,000 |
Recurring | Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1) | Note receivable Viking Therapeutics, Inc. |  |  |  |
Assets: |  |  |  |
Assets, fair value | 0 |  | 0 |
Recurring | Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1) | Investment in warrants |  |  |  |
Assets: |  |  |  |
Assets, fair value | 1,100,000 |  | 700,000 |
Recurring | Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) |  |  |  |
Assets: |  |  |  |
Assets, fair value | 166,767,000 |  | 119,242,000 |
Liabilities: |  |  |  |
Liabilities, fair value | 3,693,000 |  | 1,413,000 |
Recurring | Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) | Current contingent liabilities-CyDex |  |  |  |
Liabilities: |  |  |  |
Liabilities, fair value | 0 |  | 0 |
Recurring | Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) | Long-term contingent liabilities-CyDex |  |  |  |
Liabilities: |  |  |  |
Liabilities, fair value | 0 |  | 0 |
Recurring | Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) | Long-term contingent liabilities-Metabasis |  |  |  |
Liabilities: |  |  |  |
Liabilities, fair value | 3,693,000 |  | 1,413,000 |
Recurring | Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) | Liability for amounts owed to former licensees |  |  |  |
Liabilities: |  |  |  |
Liabilities, fair value | 0 |  | 0 |
Recurring | Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) | Short-term investments |  |  |  |
Assets: |  |  |  |
Assets, fair value | 166,767,000 |  | 119,242,000 |
Recurring | Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) | Note receivable Viking Therapeutics, Inc. |  |  |  |
Assets: |  |  |  |
Assets, fair value | 0 |  | 0 |
Recurring | Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) | Investment in warrants |  |  |  |
Assets: |  |  |  |
Assets, fair value | 0 |  | 0 |
Recurring | Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) |  |  |  |
Assets: |  |  |  |
Assets, fair value | 3,007,000 |  | 3,207,000 |
Liabilities: |  |  |  |
Liabilities, fair value | 1,589,000 |  | 1,604,000 |
Recurring | Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) | Current contingent liabilities-CyDex |  |  |  |
Liabilities: |  |  |  |
Liabilities, fair value | 86,000 |  | 101,000 |
Recurring | Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) | Long-term contingent liabilities-CyDex |  |  |  |
Liabilities: |  |  |  |
Liabilities, fair value | 1,503,000 |  | 1,503,000 |
Recurring | Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) | Long-term contingent liabilities-Metabasis |  |  |  |
Liabilities: |  |  |  |
Liabilities, fair value | 0 |  | 0 |
Recurring | Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) | Liability for amounts owed to former licensees |  |  |  |
Liabilities: |  |  |  |
Liabilities, fair value | 0 |  | 0 |
Recurring | Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) | Short-term investments |  |  |  |
Assets: |  |  |  |
Assets, fair value | 0 |  | 0 |
Recurring | Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) | Note receivable Viking Therapeutics, Inc. |  |  |  |
Assets: |  |  |  |
Assets, fair value | 3,000,000 |  | 3,207,000 |
Recurring | Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) | Investment in warrants |  |  |  |
Assets: |  |  |  |
Assets, fair value | $ 0 |  | $ 0 |

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