Advance payment from customer.

No definition available.

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Namespace Prefix:	dvax_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Forgivable loan.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	dvax_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Increase In Interest Free Unsecured Forgiveable Loan Maximum Borrowing Capacity.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Interest Free Unsecured Forgiveable Loan Maximum Borrowing Capacity .

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	dvax_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- 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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Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of deferred income and obligation to transfer product and service to customer for which consideration has been received or is receivable, classified as current.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02(5))
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+ Details

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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of deferred income and obligation to transfer product and service to customer for which consideration has been received or is receivable, classified as noncurrent.

+ References

+ Details

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

- Definition

Amount, excluding tax collected from customer, of revenue from satisfaction of performance obligation by transferring promised good or service to customer. Tax collected from customer is tax assessed by governmental authority that is both imposed on and concurrent with specific revenue-producing transaction, including, but not limited to, sales, use, value added and excise.

+ References

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+ Details

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

- Details

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- Details

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- Details

Name:	srt_CounterpartyNameAxis=dvax_ZhejiangCloverBiopharmaceuticalsIncAndCloverHongKongIncMember
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- Details

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Collaboration, Development and Supply Agreements-Additional Information (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Thousands		3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	May 03, 2021	Jun. 30, 2021	Jun. 30, 2020	Jun. 30, 2021	Jun. 30, 2020	Jan. 31, 2021
Collaborative Arrangements And Noncollaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Long-term deferred revenue		$ 106,950		$ 106,950
Revenue recognized		52,767	$ 2,668	136,102	$ 13,587
CEPI Member \| Reservation Agreement
Collaborative Arrangements And Noncollaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Increase in interest free unsecured forgiveable loan maximum borrowing capacity	$ 77,400
Interest free unsecured forgiveable loan Maximum borrowing capacity	$ 176,400
Clover \| Supply Agreement
Collaborative Arrangements And Noncollaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Deferred revenue		72,900		72,900
Medigen \| Supply Agreement
Collaborative Arrangements And Noncollaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Revenue recognized		10,600		17,500
Valneva SE \| Supply Agreement
Collaborative Arrangements And Noncollaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Deferred revenue		55,400		55,400
Revenue recognized		24,500		89,400
CEPI Member
Collaborative Arrangements And Noncollaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items]
Interest- free unsecured forgivable loan						$ 99,000
Advance payment from customer		109,500		109,500
Long-term deferred revenue		$ 107,000		$ 107,000