Joint Venture	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2012
Joint Venture [Abstract]
Joint Venture	Note 7 - Joint Venture In March 2009, the Company entered into a Joint Venture Agreement with Cadila pursuant to which the Company and Cadila formed CPL Biologicals Private Limited, a joint venture (the "JV"), of which 20% is owned by the Company and 80% is owned by Cadila. The JV was established to develop and manufacture certain of the Company's vaccine candidates and certain of Cadila's biogeneric and diagnostic products for the territory of India. The JV has the right to negotiate definitive license arrangements in India to certain of the Company's future vaccine products and certain of Cadila's future biogeneric and diagnostic products, prior to the Company or Cadila licensing such rights to third-parties. The Company has the right to negotiate definitive license arrangements for vaccines developed by the JV using Company technology for commercialization in every country except India and for vaccines developed by the JV using Cadila technology for commercialization in certain other countries, including the U.S. Cadila has supported and continues to support the JV's operations. The JV is actively developing a number of vaccine candidates that were genetically engineered by Novavax. The JV's seasonal and pandemic influenza vaccine candidates began Phase I clinical trials in 2012. Also in 2012, the JV formed a new collaboration to develop a novel malaria vaccine in India with the International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology. The JV's rabies vaccine candidate is expected to begin a Phase I clinical trial in India in 2013. In connection with the Joint Venture Agreement, in March 2009, the Company also entered into additional agreements, including a master services agreement with Cadila. Because the Company does not control the JV, the Company accounts for its investment using the equity method. Since the carrying value of the Company's initial investment was nominal and there is no guarantee or commitment to provide future funding, the Company has not recorded nor expects to record losses related to this investment in the future.

Joint Venture

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2012

Note 7 - Joint Venture

In March 2009, the Company entered into a Joint Venture Agreement with Cadila pursuant to which the Company and Cadila formed CPL Biologicals Private Limited, a joint venture (the "JV"), of which 20% is owned by the Company and 80% is owned by Cadila. The JV was established to develop and manufacture certain of the Company's vaccine candidates and certain of Cadila's biogeneric and diagnostic products for the territory of India. The JV has the right to negotiate definitive license arrangements in India to certain of the Company's future vaccine products and certain of Cadila's future biogeneric and diagnostic products, prior to the Company or Cadila licensing such rights to third-parties. The Company has the right to negotiate definitive license arrangements for vaccines developed by the JV using Company technology for commercialization in every country except India and for vaccines developed by the JV using Cadila technology for commercialization in certain other countries, including the U.S. Cadila has supported and continues to support the JV's operations. The JV is actively developing a number of vaccine candidates that were genetically engineered by Novavax. The JV's seasonal and pandemic influenza vaccine candidates began Phase I clinical trials in 2012. Also in 2012, the JV formed a new collaboration to develop a novel malaria vaccine in India with the International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology. The JV's rabies vaccine candidate is expected to begin a Phase I clinical trial in India in 2013. In connection with the Joint Venture Agreement, in March 2009, the Company also entered into additional agreements, including a master services agreement with Cadila. Because the Company does not control the JV, the Company accounts for its investment using the equity method. Since the carrying value of the Company's initial investment was nominal and there is no guarantee or commitment to provide future funding, the Company has not recorded nor expects to record losses related to this investment in the future.