Advance payment on loan agreement.

No definition available.

Name:	dvax_AdvancePaymentOnLoanAgreement
Namespace Prefix:	dvax_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Debt instrument extension date.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Data Type:	xbrli:dateItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Number of tranches for loan and security agreement.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	dvax_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Percentage points added to the reference rate to compute the variable rate on the debt instrument.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of long-term debt before deduction of unamortized discount or premium. Includes, but is not limited to, notes payable, bonds payable, commercial loans, mortgage loans, convertible debt, subordinated debt and other types of debt, with initial maturities beyond one year or the normal operating cycle, if longer.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 210

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.22)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 02

-Paragraph 20

-Article 5

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 03

-Paragraph 16

-Article 9

+ Details

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

- Definition

Face (par) amount of debt instrument at time of issuance.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 835

-SubTopic 30

-Section 55

-Paragraph 8

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=34725769&loc=d3e28878-108400

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 835

-SubTopic 30

-Section 45

-Paragraph 2

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6451184&loc=d3e28551-108399

+ Details

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

- Definition

Effective interest rate for the funds borrowed under the debt agreement considering interest compounding and original issue discount or premium.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 210

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.22(a)(1))

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

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-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 835

-SubTopic 30

-Section 45

-Paragraph 2

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6451184&loc=d3e28551-108399

+ Details

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Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Description of the interest rate as being fixed or variable, and, if variable, identification of the index or rate on which the interest rate is based and the number of points or percentage added to that index or rate to set the rate, and other pertinent information, such as frequency of rate resets.

+ References

+ Details

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Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
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

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentLineItems
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Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Date when the debt instrument is scheduled to be fully repaid, in CCYY-MM-DD format.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentMaturityDate
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:dateItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Description of the payment terms of the debt instrument (for example, whether periodic payments include principal and frequency of payments) and discussion about any contingencies associated with the payment.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 210

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.22(a)(3))

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 942

-SubTopic 470

-Section 50

-Paragraph 3

-Subparagraph (c)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6479336&loc=d3e64711-112823

+ Details

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

- Definition

Amount of payment greater than the preceding installment payments to be paid at final maturity date of debt.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

Amount of debt issuance costs (for example, but not limited to, legal, accounting, broker, and regulatory fees).

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtIssuanceCosts
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The carrying value as of the balance sheet date of the current and noncurrent portions of long-term obligations drawn from a line of credit, which is a bank's commitment to make loans up to a specific amount. Examples of items that might be included in the application of this element may consist of letters of credit, standby letters of credit, and revolving credit arrangements, under which borrowings can be made up to a maximum amount as of any point in time conditional on satisfaction of specified terms before, as of and after the date of drawdowns on the line. Includes short-term obligations that would normally be classified as current liabilities but for which (a) postbalance sheet date issuance of a long term obligation to refinance the short term obligation on a long term basis, or (b) the enterprise has entered into a financing agreement that clearly permits the enterprise to refinance the short-term obligation on a long term basis and the following conditions are met (1) the agreement does not expire within 1 year and is not cancelable by the lender except for violation of an objectively determinable provision, (2) no violation exists at the BS date, and (3) the lender has entered into the financing agreement is expected to be financially capable of honoring the agreement.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 942

-SubTopic 210

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.9-03.16)

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-Topic 944

-SubTopic 210

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-Paragraph 1

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-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 02

-Paragraph 19, 20, 22

-Article 5

+ Details

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

- Definition

The effective interest rate during the reporting period.

+ References

+ Details

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

- Definition

Maximum borrowing capacity under the credit facility without consideration of any current restrictions on the amount that could be borrowed or the amounts currently outstanding under the facility.

+ References

+ Details

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

- Definition

Amount of cash inflow from contractual arrangement with the lender, including but not limited to, letter of credit, standby letter of credit and revolving credit arrangements.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Glossary Financing Activities

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6513228

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-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 230

-SubTopic 10

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-Subparagraph (b)

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-Topic 235

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.4-08.(f))

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=26873400&loc=d3e23780-122690

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Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Details

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- Details

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- Details

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- Details

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Long-Term Debt - Additional Information (Detail)		3 Months Ended	6 Months Ended
Long-Term Debt - Additional Information (Detail)	Dec. 23, 2014 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2015 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2015 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2015 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($) TRANCHES
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Advance payment on loan agreement			$ 40,000,000
Facility charge to Hercules			400,000
First Tranche
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Final minimum repayment of debt		$ 840,000	840,000
Advance payment on loan agreement			10,000,000
Hercules Technology Growth Capital, Inc. (“Hercules”)
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Maximum borrowing capacity		1,500,000	$ 1,500,000		$ 40,000,000
Number of tranches for loan and security agreement \| TRANCHES					2
Proceeds from lines of credit		$ 0
Debt instrument, interest rate		9.75%	9.75%
Debt instrument, interest rate terms			The interest rate for each tranche in the Loan Agreement is calculated at a rate equal to the greater of either: (i) 9.75% plus the prime rate as reported from time to time in The Wall Street Journal minus 5.25%, and (ii) 9.75%
Debt instrument, payment terms			Payments under the Loan Agreement are interest only until February 1, 2016 (which will be extended until August 1, 2016, if we achieve Milestone A on or before September 30, 2015, and which will be extended until February 1, 2017, if we meet certain additional HEPLISAV-B Phase 3 related milestones (“Milestone B”) on or before August 1, 2016). The interest only period will be followed by equal monthly payments of principal and interest amortized over a 30 month schedule through the scheduled maturity date on July 1, 2018 (which would be extended through January 1, 2019 if we achieve Milestone A on or before September 30, 2015 or Milestone B on or before August 1, 2016) (the “Loan Maturity Date”).
Debt instrument, maturity date			Jul. 01, 2018
Debt instrument, extension date			Jan. 01, 2019
Final minimum repayment of debt		$ 2,400,000	$ 2,400,000
Debt instrument prepayment charge			1.50%
Outstanding borrowings		10,000,000	$ 10,000,000		$ 10,000,000
Carrying value debt		$ 9,500,000	9,500,000		$ 9,600,000
Hercules Technology Growth Capital, Inc. (“Hercules”) \| Minimum
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Proceeds from lines of credit			$ 15,000,000
Hercules Technology Growth Capital, Inc. (“Hercules”) \| Prime Rate
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument, interest rate		9.75%	9.75%
Debt instrument, basis spread on variable rate			5.25%
Hercules Technology Growth Capital, Inc. (“Hercules”) \| First Tranche
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Proceeds from lines of credit	$ 10,000,000
Hercules Technology Growth Capital, Inc. (“Hercules”) \| Second Tranche
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Proceeds from lines of credit		$ 0
Hercules Technology Growth Capital, Inc. (“Hercules”) \| Second Tranche \| Scenario Forecast
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt under Loan Agreement				$ 30,000,000
Debt instrument, maturity date			Jan. 01, 2019