XML 51 R38.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT
v3.6.0.2

Cash and Investments in Marketable Securities - Additional Information (Detail) - USD ($) | 12 Months Ended |
--- | --- | ---
Dec. 31, 2016 | Dec. 31, 2015 | Dec. 31, 2014 | Oct. 05, 2015
Cash and Investments in Marketable Securities [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Maximum maturity term for debt securities investment | Two years or less |  |  |
Weighted average maturity term for debt securities investment | One year or less |  |  |
Available-for-sale securities, sold | $ 4,969,000 | $ 42,544,000 | $ 21,661,000 |
Level 1 to level 2 transfers | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Level 2 to level 1 transfers | 0 | 0 | $ 0 |
Letter of credit | $ 2,400,000 | $ 2,400,000 |  |
7.75% Senior Secured Notes Due October 2020 [Member] |  |  |  |
Cash and Investments in Marketable Securities [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Senior secured notes, interest rate | 7.75% |  |  |
Senior Notes [Member] | 7.75% Senior Secured Notes Due October 2020 [Member] |  |  |  |
Cash and Investments in Marketable Securities [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Senior secured notes, interest rate | 7.75% |  |  | 7.75%
Senior secured notes, maturity date | Oct. 05, 2020 |  |  |
Minimum cash and investments in marketable securities to be maintained | $ 60,000,000 |  |  |

X
- Definition Cash and Investments in Marketable Securities [Line Items] + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | nktr_CashAndInvestmentsInMarketableSecuritiesLineItems
Namespace Prefix: | nktr_
Data Type: | xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Debt investment maturity date description. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | nktr_DebtInvestmentMaturityDateDescription
Namespace Prefix: | nktr_
Data Type: | xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Debt investment maximum maturity period. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | nktr_DebtInvestmentMaximumMaturityPeriod
Namespace Prefix: | nktr_
Data Type: | xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Minimum cash and investments in marketable securities to be maintained. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | nktr_MinimumCashAndInvestmentsInMarketableSecuritiesToBeMaintained
Namespace Prefix: | nktr_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Contractual interest rate for funds borrowed, under the debt agreement. + 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 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | num:percentItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Date when the debt instrument is scheduled to be fully repaid, in CCYY-MM-DD format. + 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)(2)) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_DebtInstrumentMaturityDate
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:dateItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Amount of transfers of assets measured on a recurring basis out of Level 1 of the fair value hierarchy into Level 2. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 820 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -Subparagraph (bb) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=66048111&loc=d3e19207-110258 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_FairValueAssetsLevel1ToLevel2TransfersAmount
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Amount of transfers of assets measured on a recurring basis out of Level 2 of the fair value hierarchy into Level 1. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 820 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -Subparagraph (bb) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=66048111&loc=d3e19207-110258 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_FairValueAssetsLevel2ToLevel1TransfersAmount
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition The total amount of the contingent obligation under letters of credit outstanding as of the reporting date. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | us-gaap_LettersOfCreditOutstandingAmount
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition The cash inflow associated with the sale of debt and equity securities classified as available-for-sale securities. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Glossary Investing Activities -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6516133 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 320 -SubTopic 10 -Section 45 -Paragraph 11 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=66010992&loc=d3e26853-111562 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 230 -SubTopic 10 -Section 45 -Paragraph 12 -Subparagraph (a),(b) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=66902209&loc=d3e3179-108585 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_ProceedsFromSaleOfAvailableForSaleSecurities
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=nktr_SevenPointSevenFivePercentSeniorSecuredNotesDueOctoberTwoThousandAndTwentyMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis=us-gaap_SeniorNotesMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |