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Income Taxes - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $) | 12 Months Ended
--- | ---
Dec. 31, 2014 | Dec. 31, 2013 | Dec. 31, 2012
Income Tax Disclosure [Line Items] |  |  |
Income tax expense | $ 0 us-gaap_IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit | $ 0 us-gaap_IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit | $ 0 us-gaap_IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit
Increase (decrease) in valuation allowance | 27,800,000 us-gaap_ValuationAllowanceDeferredTaxAssetChangeInAmount | 22,500,000 us-gaap_ValuationAllowanceDeferredTaxAssetChangeInAmount | 22,000,000 us-gaap_ValuationAllowanceDeferredTaxAssetChangeInAmount
Amount of valuation allowance for deferred tax assets allocated to contributed capital | 300,000 us-gaap_DeferredTaxesBusinessCombinationValuationAllowanceAllocatedToContributedCapital |  |
Unrecognized tax benefits | 2,426,000 us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefits |  |
Unrecognized tax benefits would affect the effective tax rate | 0 us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsThatWouldImpactEffectiveTaxRate |  |
Interest related to unrecognized tax benefits | 0 us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsInterestOnIncomeTaxesExpense |  |
Penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits | 0 us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsIncomeTaxPenaltiesExpense |  |
Federal |  |  |
Income Tax Disclosure [Line Items] |  |  |
Net operating loss carryforwards | 479,100,000 us-gaap_OperatingLossCarryforwards / us-gaap_IncomeTaxAuthorityAxis = dvax_FederalMember |  |
Federal | Minimum |  |  |
Income Tax Disclosure [Line Items] |  |  |
Net operating loss carryforwards, expiration year | 2018 |  |
Federal | Maximum |  |  |
Income Tax Disclosure [Line Items] |  |  |
Net operating loss carryforwards, expiration year | 2034 |  |
Federal | Research And Development |  |  |
Income Tax Disclosure [Line Items] |  |  |
Tax credit carryforward amount | 16,400,000 us-gaap_TaxCreditCarryforwardAmount / us-gaap_IncomeTaxAuthorityAxis = dvax_FederalMember / us-gaap_TaxCreditCarryforwardAxis = dvax_ResearchAndDevelopmentMember |  |
Federal | Research And Development | Minimum |  |  |
Income Tax Disclosure [Line Items] |  |  |
Tax credit carryforward amount, expiration year | 2015 |  |
Federal | Research And Development | Maximum |  |  |
Income Tax Disclosure [Line Items] |  |  |
Tax credit carryforward amount, expiration year | 2034 |  |
California State |  |  |
Income Tax Disclosure [Line Items] |  |  |
Net operating loss carryforwards | 202,200,000 us-gaap_OperatingLossCarryforwards / us-gaap_IncomeTaxAuthorityAxis = dvax_CaliforniaStateMember |  |
California State | Minimum |  |  |
Income Tax Disclosure [Line Items] |  |  |
Net operating loss carryforwards, expiration year | 2015 |  |
California State | Maximum |  |  |
Income Tax Disclosure [Line Items] |  |  |
Net operating loss carryforwards, expiration year | 2034 |  |
California State | Research And Development |  |  |
Income Tax Disclosure [Line Items] |  |  |
Tax credit carryforward amount | 12,700,000 us-gaap_TaxCreditCarryforwardAmount / us-gaap_IncomeTaxAuthorityAxis = dvax_CaliforniaStateMember / us-gaap_TaxCreditCarryforwardAxis = dvax_ResearchAndDevelopmentMember |  |
Foreign |  |  |
Income Tax Disclosure [Line Items] |  |  |
Net operating loss carryforwards | $ 23,100,000 us-gaap_OperatingLossCarryforwards / us-gaap_IncomeTaxAuthorityAxis = us-gaap_ForeignCountryMember |  |

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- Definition The amount of the valuation allowance recorded for tax benefits that will be credited to shareholders' equity if those tax benefits subsequently become realizable. Examples include 1) adjustments of the opening balance of retained earnings for certain changes in accounting principle or a correction of an error; 2) gains and losses included in comprehensive income but excluded from net income; 3) expenditures that are deductible for income tax purposes that are reported as a reduction of shareholders' equity; 4) expenses for employee stock options recognized differently for financial reporting purposes and income tax purposes; 5) dividends paid on unallocated shares held by an ESOP that are charged to retained earnings and 6) deductible temporary differences that existed at the date of a quasi reorganization. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 740 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 3 -Subparagraph (b) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6907707&loc=d3e32559-109319 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 740 -SubTopic 20 -Section 45 -Paragraph 11 -Subparagraph (a)-(g) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=18498875&loc=d3e39076-109324 + Details
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- Definition Amount of current income tax expense (benefit) and deferred income tax expense (benefit) pertaining to continuing operations. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 235 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.4-08.(h)) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=26873400&loc=d3e23780-122690 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 08 -Paragraph h -Article 4 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Glossary Income Tax Expense (or Benefit) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6515339 Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 740 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 9 -Subparagraph (a),(b) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6907707&loc=d3e32639-109319 + Details
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- Definition Amount of operating loss carryforward, before tax effects, available to reduce future taxable income under enacted tax laws. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 740 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 3 -Subparagraph (a) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6907707&loc=d3e32559-109319 + Details
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- Definition The amount of the tax credit carryforward, before tax effects, available to reduce future taxable income under enacted tax laws. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 740 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 3 -Subparagraph (a) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6907707&loc=d3e32559-109319 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Glossary Carryforwards -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6506874 + Details
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- Definition Amount of unrecognized tax benefits pertaining to uncertain tax positions taken in tax returns. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Glossary Unrecognized Tax Benefit -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6527854 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 740 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 15A -Subparagraph (a) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6907707&loc=SL6600010-109319 + Details
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- Definition Amount of expense for penalties related to a tax position claimed or expected to be claimed in the tax return. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 740 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 15 -Subparagraph (c) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6907707&loc=d3e32718-109319 + Details
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- Definition Amount of interest expense for an underpayment of income taxes. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 740 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 15 -Subparagraph (c) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6907707&loc=d3e32718-109319 + Details
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