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License and Collaboration Agreements - Additional Information (Detail) - USD ($) |  |  | 1 Months Ended | 3 Months Ended | 9 Months Ended | 12 Months Ended |
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Feb. 13, 2018 | Aug. 23, 2017 | Apr. 30, 2018 | Nov. 30, 2017 | Sep. 30, 2017 | Sep. 30, 2016 | Mar. 31, 2016 | Sep. 30, 2018 | Sep. 30, 2017 | Dec. 31, 2010 | Sep. 30, 2018 | Sep. 30, 2017 | Dec. 31, 2015 | Dec. 31, 2017
Collaborative Arrangements And Noncollaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Revenue recognized in period related to performance in prior periods |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 18,600,000 |  |  | $ 64,200,000 |  |  |
Deferred revenue, current portion |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 15,676,000 |  |  | 15,676,000 |  |  | $ 18,949,000
Deferred revenue, less current portion |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 11,410,000 |  |  | 11,410,000 |  |  | 19,021,000
Receivables from customer contracts |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 13,100,000 |  |  | 13,100,000 |  |  |
Potential future additional development and regulatory milestones |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 1,700,000,000 |  |  | 1,700,000,000 |  |  |
Accounts receivable, net |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 31,937,000 |  |  | 31,937,000 |  |  | 5,014,000
Research and development expense |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 102,895,000 | $ 65,714,000 |  | 290,653,000 | $ 187,032,000 |  |
Total revenue |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 27,762,000 | 152,928,000 |  | 1,153,497,000 | 212,245,000 |  |
Deferred revenue |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 27,086,000 |  |  | 27,086,000 |  |  | $ 37,970,000
Development milestones received |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 12,931,000 |  |  |
AstraZeneca-Kirin [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Collaborative Arrangements And Noncollaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Percentage of upfront payment, market access milestone payments, royalties and sales milestone payments |  |  |  |  |  |  | 40.00% |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Nektar's [Member] | NKTR-358 [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Collaborative Arrangements And Noncollaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Received upfront and milestone payment |  |  |  |  | $ 150,000,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Percentage of sharing in Phase 2 development costs |  | 25.00% |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Regulatory milestones payment, description |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | A portion of the development milestones may be reduced by 50% under certain conditions, related to the final formulation of the approved product and the timing of prior approval (if any) of competitive products with a similar mechanism of action, which could reduce these milestone payments by 75% if both conditions occur. |  |  |
Deferred revenue |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 11,300,000 |  |  | $ 11,300,000 |  |  |
NKTR-214 [Member] | BMS Collaboration Agreement [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Collaborative Arrangements And Noncollaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Research and development expense |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 1,800,000 |  |  | 2,600,000 |  |  |
NKTR-214 [Member] | Nektar's [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Collaborative Arrangements And Noncollaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Upfront and milestone payments received from license agreements |  |  | $ 1,000,000,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
NKTR-214 [Member] | Nektar's [Member] | Maximum [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Collaborative Arrangements And Noncollaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Maximum total additional cash payments receivable upon achievement of certain development and regulatory milestones |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 1,400,000,000 |  |  |  |  |  |
Eligible additional cash payments receivable upon achievement of certain sales milestones |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 350,000,000 |  |  |  |  |  |
NKTR-214 [Member] | Nektar's [Member] | BMS Collaboration Agreement [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Collaborative Arrangements And Noncollaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Global commercialization profits and losses sharing percentage | 65.00% |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
NKTR-214 [Member] | Nektar's [Member] | BMS Collaboration Agreement [Member] | Opdivo [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Collaborative Arrangements And Noncollaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Percentage of sharing development costs | 32.50% |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
NKTR-214 [Member] | Nektar's [Member] | BMS Collaboration Agreement [Member] | Opdivo and Yervoy [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Collaborative Arrangements And Noncollaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Percentage of sharing development costs | 22.00% |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Baxalta Incorporated/Shire [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Collaborative Arrangements And Noncollaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Potential future additional payments for development and regulatory milestones |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 10,000,000 |  |  |
Baxalta Incorporated/Shire [Member] | Hemophilia |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Collaborative Arrangements And Noncollaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Received under right to sublicense agreement |  |  |  | $ 12,000,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Baxalta Incorporated/Shire [Member] | Hemophilia | European Union [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Collaborative Arrangements And Noncollaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Upfront and milestone payments received from license agreements |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 10,000,000 |  |  |
Baxalta Incorporated/Shire [Member] | Hemophilia | ASC 606 [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Collaborative Arrangements And Noncollaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Deferred revenue |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 900,000 |  |  | 900,000 |  |  |
Baxalta Incorporated/Shire [Member] | Hemophilia | ASC 606 [Member] | European Union [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Collaborative Arrangements And Noncollaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Development milestones received |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 10,000,000 |  |  |
Bristol-Myers Squibb [Member] | Purchase Agreement [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Collaborative Arrangements And Noncollaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Shares issued |  |  | 8,284,600 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Sale of stock consideration received |  |  | $ 850,000,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Bristol-Myers Squibb [Member] | BMS Collaboration Agreement [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Collaborative Arrangements And Noncollaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Accounts receivable, net |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 18,800,000 |  |  | 18,800,000 |  |  |
Bristol-Myers Squibb [Member] | BMS Collaboration Agreement [Member] | Purchase Agreement [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Collaborative Arrangements And Noncollaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Total consideration received under agreements |  |  | 1,850,000,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Estimated fair value of shares |  |  | $ 790,200,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Closing date price of common stock |  |  | $ 99.36 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Remaining amount allocated to transaction price |  |  | $ 1,059,800,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Potential future development, regulatory and sales milestones |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 1,800,000,000 |  |  | 1,800,000,000 |  |  |
Bristol-Myers Squibb [Member] | NKTR-214 [Member] | Research and Development Expense [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Collaborative Arrangements And Noncollaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Reimbursement of costs |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 20,700,000 |  |  | 45,400,000 |  |  |
Bristol-Myers Squibb [Member] | NKTR-214 [Member] | BMS Collaboration Agreement [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Collaborative Arrangements And Noncollaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Global commercialization profits and losses sharing percentage | 35.00% |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Amount recognized for granting licenses |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 1,059,800,000 |  |  |
Bristol-Myers Squibb [Member] | NKTR-214 [Member] | BMS Collaboration Agreement [Member] | Opdivo [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Collaborative Arrangements And Noncollaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Percentage of sharing development costs | 67.50% |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Bristol-Myers Squibb [Member] | NKTR-214 [Member] | BMS Collaboration Agreement [Member] | Opdivo and Yervoy [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Collaborative Arrangements And Noncollaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Percentage of sharing development costs | 78.00% |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Bristol-Myers Squibb [Member] | NKTR-214 [Member] | Clinical Trial Agreement [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Collaborative Arrangements And Noncollaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Percentage of out-of-pocket costs to be reimbursed by partner |  |  |  |  |  | 50.00% |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Eli Lilly and Company [Member] | NKTR-358 [Member] | Phase 1 Clinical Development [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Collaborative Arrangements And Noncollaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Received upfront and milestone payment |  |  |  |  | 17,600,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Eli Lilly and Company [Member] | NKTR-358 [Member] | Drug Product Development [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Collaborative Arrangements And Noncollaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Received upfront and milestone payment |  |  |  |  | 6,500,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Eli Lilly and Company [Member] | NKTR-358 [Member] | Maximum [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Collaborative Arrangements And Noncollaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Potential future additional development and regulatory milestones |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 250,000,000 |  |  | 250,000,000 |  |  |
Eli Lilly and Company [Member] | Nektar's [Member] | NKTR-358 [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Collaborative Arrangements And Noncollaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Percentage of regulatory milestones payments will be reduced under certain conditions |  | 50.00% |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Percentage of regulatory milestones payments will be reduced if conditions occur |  | 75.00% |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Eli Lilly and Company [Member] | Nektar's [Member] | NKTR-358 [Member] | Maximum [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Collaborative Arrangements And Noncollaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Percentage of funding phase 3 development costs on an indication by indication basis borne |  | 25.00% |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Eli Lilly and Company [Member] | Nektar's [Member] | NKTR-358 [Member] | Minimum [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Collaborative Arrangements And Noncollaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Percentage of funding phase 3 development costs on an indication by indication basis borne |  | 0.00% |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Eli Lilly and Company [Member] | License and Maintenance | NKTR-358 [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Collaborative Arrangements And Noncollaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Received upfront and milestone payment |  |  |  |  | $ 125,900,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Eli Lilly and Company [Member] | License and Maintenance | NKTR-358 [Member] | ASC 606 [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Collaborative Arrangements And Noncollaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Total revenue |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 125,900,000 |  |  | 125,900,000 |  |
Eli Lilly [Member] | NKTR-358 [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Collaborative Arrangements And Noncollaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Percentage of sharing in Phase 2 development costs |  | 75.00% |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Amgen, Inc. [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Collaborative Arrangements And Noncollaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Received upfront and milestone payment |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 50,000,000 |  |  |  |
Amgen, Inc. [Member] | ASC 606 [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Collaborative Arrangements And Noncollaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Deferred revenue |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 10,400,000 |  |  | 10,400,000 |  |  |
AstraZeneca AB [Member] | MOVANTIK and MOVANTIK fixed-dose combination program [Member] | Upfront Payment Arrangement [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Collaborative Arrangements And Noncollaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Received upfront and milestone payment |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 385,000,000 |
AstraZeneca AB [Member] | MOVANTIK Fixed-dose Combination Program [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Collaborative Arrangements And Noncollaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Potential contingent payments based on development events |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 75,000,000 |  |  | 75,000,000 |  |  |
AstraZeneca AB [Member] | AstraZeneca-Kirin [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Collaborative Arrangements And Noncollaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Received upfront and milestone payment |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 4,600,000 |  |
Deferred revenue |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 0 |  |  | 0 |  |  |
Percentage of upfront payment, market access milestone payments, royalties and sales milestone payments from sublicense agreement retained by our collaboration partner |  |  |  |  |  |  | 60.00% |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Other [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Collaborative Arrangements And Noncollaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Potential future additional payments for development and regulatory milestones |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 45,500,000 |  |  |
Deferred revenue |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 4,500,000 |  |  | $ 4,500,000 |  |  |

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