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Income Taxes - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $) | 12 Months Ended
--- | ---
Dec. 31, 2014 | Dec. 31, 2013 | Dec. 31, 2012
Real Estate Acquired Through Foreclosure Under Forward Purchase Agreements [Line Items] |  |  |
Statutory income tax rate | 35.00%us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationAtFederalStatutoryIncomeTaxRate |  |
Increase in valuation allowance | $ 9,700,000 us-gaap_ValuationAllowanceDeferredTaxAssetChangeInAmount | $ 51,800,000 us-gaap_ValuationAllowanceDeferredTaxAssetChangeInAmount |
Valuation allowance related to stock-based compensation and exercises prior to the implementation of ASC 515 and 718 | 35,600,000 nktr_ValuationAllowanceRelatedToStockBasedCompensationAndExercises | 35,600,000 nktr_ValuationAllowanceRelatedToStockBasedCompensationAndExercises |
Deferred U.S. income taxes | 0 us-gaap_DeferredFederalIncomeTaxExpenseBenefit | 422,000 us-gaap_DeferredFederalIncomeTaxExpenseBenefit | (422,000)us-gaap_DeferredFederalIncomeTaxExpenseBenefit
Income taxes have not been provided on a cumulative total | 3,900,000 us-gaap_UndistributedEarningsOfForeignSubsidiaries |  |
Income tax research credits | 2,933,000 us-gaap_IncomeTaxReconciliationTaxCreditsResearch | 6,273,000 us-gaap_IncomeTaxReconciliationTaxCreditsResearch | 591,000 us-gaap_IncomeTaxReconciliationTaxCreditsResearch
Federal orphan drug credits | 17,700,000 nktr_FederalOrphanDrugCredits |  |
Federal orphan drug credits, expiration year | 2026 |  |
Unrecognized tax benefits, period may increase or decrease due to tax examination | Next twelve months |  |
Federal [Member] |  |  |
Real Estate Acquired Through Foreclosure Under Forward Purchase Agreements [Line Items] |  |  |
Net operating loss carryforward for income tax | 1,131,800,000 nktr_NetOperatingLossCarryforwardForIncomeTax / us-gaap_IncomeTaxAuthorityAxis = us-gaap_DomesticCountryMember |  |
Net operating loss carryforward, expiration year | 2018 |  |
Income tax research credits | 40,000,000 us-gaap_IncomeTaxReconciliationTaxCreditsResearch / us-gaap_IncomeTaxAuthorityAxis = us-gaap_DomesticCountryMember |  |
Income tax research credits, expiration year | 2019 |  |
State [Member] |  |  |
Real Estate Acquired Through Foreclosure Under Forward Purchase Agreements [Line Items] |  |  |
Net operating loss carryforward for income tax | 709,200,000 nktr_NetOperatingLossCarryforwardForIncomeTax / us-gaap_IncomeTaxAuthorityAxis = us-gaap_StateAndLocalJurisdictionMember |  |
Net operating loss carryforward, expiration year | 2015 |  |
Amounts included in state net operating losses not MLTN | 124,600,000 nktr_NetOperatingLossCarryForwardsNotIncludedInDeferredTaxAssets / us-gaap_IncomeTaxAuthorityAxis = us-gaap_StateAndLocalJurisdictionMember |  |
Income tax research credits | $ 22,600,000 nktr_CumulativeGrossIncomeTaxResearchCredits / us-gaap_IncomeTaxAuthorityAxis = us-gaap_StateAndLocalJurisdictionMember |  |

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