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Commitments and Contingencies - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $) | 12 Months Ended
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Dec. 31, 2014 | Dec. 31, 2013 | Dec. 31, 2012
Loss Contingencies [Line Items] |  |  |
Royalty expense | $ 3,400,000 us-gaap_DirectOperatingCostRoyaltyExpense | $ 4,100,000 us-gaap_DirectOperatingCostRoyaltyExpense | $ 2,900,000 us-gaap_DirectOperatingCostRoyaltyExpense
Purchase commitments related to contract manufacturing, clinical development and certain other items | 16,900,000 us-gaap_PurchaseCommitmentRemainingMinimumAmountCommitted |  |
Indemnification Obligation [Member] |  |  |
Loss Contingencies [Line Items] |  |  |
Indemnification Obligations, liabilities | 0 us-gaap_LossContingencyAccrualAtCarryingValue / us-gaap_LossContingenciesByNatureOfContingencyAxis = us-gaap_IndemnificationGuaranteeMember | 0 us-gaap_LossContingencyAccrualAtCarryingValue / us-gaap_LossContingenciesByNatureOfContingencyAxis = us-gaap_IndemnificationGuaranteeMember |
Securities Related Claims [Member] |  |  |
Loss Contingencies [Line Items] |  |  |
Obligations under Director and Officer Indemnifications per incident | 1,000,000 nktr_ObligationsUnderDirectorAndOfficerIndemnificationsPerIncident / us-gaap_LossContingenciesByNatureOfContingencyAxis = nktr_SecuritiesRelatedClaimsMember |  |
Non-Securities Related Claims [Member] |  |  |
Loss Contingencies [Line Items] |  |  |
Obligations under Director and Officer Indemnifications per incident | 500,000 nktr_ObligationsUnderDirectorAndOfficerIndemnificationsPerIncident / us-gaap_LossContingenciesByNatureOfContingencyAxis = nktr_NonSecuritiesRelatedClaimsMember |  |
Merger and Acquisition Related Claims [Member] |  |  |
Loss Contingencies [Line Items] |  |  |
Obligations under Director and Officer Indemnifications per incident | $ 1,500,000 nktr_ObligationsUnderDirectorAndOfficerIndemnificationsPerIncident / us-gaap_LossContingenciesByNatureOfContingencyAxis = nktr_MergerAndAcquisitionRelatedClaimsMember |  |

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- Definition Obligations under Director and Officer Indemnifications per incident. + References No definition available. + Details
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- Definition Royalty expense incurred and are directly related to goods produced and sold and services rendered during the reporting period. + 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 210.5-03.2(a),(d)) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=26872669&loc=d3e20235-122688 + Details
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- Details
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- Definition Amount of loss contingency liability. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 450 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=25496072&loc=d3e14326-108349 + Details
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- Definition Minimum amount to be expended to satisfy the terms of arrangements in which the entity has agreed to expend funds to procure goods or services, excluding long-term purchase commitments or unconditional purchase obligations. + 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 210.5-02.25) -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 25 -Article 5 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 03 -Paragraph 19 -Article 7 Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 03 -Paragraph 17 -Article 9 Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 942 -SubTopic 210 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.9-03.17) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6876686&loc=d3e534808-122878 Reference 6: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 944 -SubTopic 210 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.7-03.(a)(19)) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6879938&loc=d3e572229-122910 + Details
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