Contract Term

No definition available.

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- Definition

Grant agreement

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
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Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of the funding increased to allow the recovery of additional costs under the contract relating to the settlement of indirect rates.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The percentage of the joint venture owned by others.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	nvax_
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Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Research And Development Collaboration

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	nvax_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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- Definition

Amount of revenue earned from products sold or services provided under the terms of a contract, including, but not limited to, government contracts and construction contracts, classified as other.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 225
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-03.1)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=63488584&loc=d3e20235-122688

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The amount of receivables that are derived from government contracts.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 912
-SubTopic 310
-Section 45
-Paragraph 1
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=68054760&loc=d3e55295-109406

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The equity interest of noncontrolling shareholders, partners or other equity holders in consolidated entity.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Details

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- Details

Name:	us-gaap_TypeOfArrangementAxis=nvax_HhsBardaContractAwardMember
Namespace Prefix:
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- Details

Name:	us-gaap_TypeOfArrangementAxis=nvax_HhsBardaOptionForAdditionalPeriodMember
Namespace Prefix:
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- Details

Name:	us-gaap_TypeOfArrangementAxis=nvax_PathVaccineSolutionsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
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- Details

Name:	us-gaap_TypeOfArrangementAxis=nvax_BillMelindaGatesFoundationMember
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- Details

Name:	us-gaap_TypeOfArrangementAxis=nvax_CplBiologicalsPrivateLimitedMember
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- Details

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Collaboration, U.S. Government Agreement and Joint Venture (Narrative) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	1 Months Ended			12 Months Ended			16 Months Ended	42 Months Ended	71 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2014	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2016
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Contracts Revenue				$ 2,184	$ 33,344	$ 26,213
Research and development collaborations				$ 13,169	2,906	$ 4,446
Cadila [Member]
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Joint Venture Percentage Owned By Others				80.00%			80.00%		80.00%
HHS BARDA Contract [Member]
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Government Contract Receivable			$ 97,000
Increase in funding for recovery of additional costs under contract		$ 7,700
HHS BARDA Option for Additional Period [Member]
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Contract term			2 years
Government Contract Receivable			$ 70,000
PATH Vaccine Solutions [Member]
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Research and development collaborations					$ 500			$ 6,800
Bill Melinda Gates Foundation [Member]
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Grant agreement	$ 89,100
CPL Biologicals Private Limited [Member]
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Ownership percentage				20.00%			20.00%		20.00%
Minimum [Member] \| HHS BARDA Contract [Member]
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Contracts Revenue				$ 2,200
Minimum [Member] \| Bill Melinda Gates Foundation [Member]
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Contracts Revenue				$ 10,900
Maximum [Member] \| HHS BARDA Contract [Member]
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Contracts Revenue									$ 114,000
Maximum [Member] \| Bill Melinda Gates Foundation [Member]
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Contracts Revenue							$ 12,500