U.S. Government Agreement, Joint Venture and Collaborations	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2013
U.S. Government Agreement, Joint Venture and Collaborations [Abstract]
U.S. Government Agreement, Joint Venture and Collaborations	Note 8 - U.S. Government Agreement, Joint Venture and Collaborations HHS BARDA Contract for Recombinant Influenza Vaccines In February 2011, the Company was awarded a contract from HHS BARDA valued at $97 million for the first three-year base-period, which was extended in February 2014 by seven months to September 2014, with an HHS BARDA option for an additional two-year period valued at $79 million. This extension is intended to allow the Company to continue to access the remainder of the base-period funding. The HHS BARDA contract award provides significant funding for the Company's ongoing clinical development and product scale-up of both its seasonal and pandemic influenza vaccine candidates. This is a cost-plus-fixed-fee contract in which HHS BARDA will reimburse the Company for allowable direct contract costs incurred plus allowable indirect costs and a fixed-fee earned in the further development of its multivalent seasonal and monovalent pandemic influenza vaccines. HHS BARDA originally directed the Company to develop its monovalent pandemic influenza vaccines against the A(H5N1) strain. In February 2014, the Company amended its contract with HHS BARDA to focus its development of a monovalent pandemic influenza vaccine against the A(H7N9) strain with a Phase 1/2 clinical trial with its H7N9 candidate and Matrix-M adjuvant, which began in the first quarter of 2014; however, HHS BARDA has also indicated that the Company's H5N1 vaccine program remains a viable potential development opportunity under the contract. Billings under the contract are based on approved provisional indirect billing rates, which permit recovery of fringe benefits, overhead and general and administrative expenses not exceeding certain limits. These indirect rates are subject to audit by HHS BARDA on an annual basis. An audit by the U.S government of fiscal years 2011 and 2012 has been completed as of the date of this filing. Management believes that revenue for periods not yet audited has been recorded in amounts that are expected to be realized upon final audit and settlement. When the final determination of the allowable costs for any year has been made, revenue and billings may be adjusted accordingly. The Company recognized revenue of approximately $17.4 million in 2013, and has recognized approximately $52 million in revenue since the inception of the contract. In connection with the recent amendment of the HHS BARDA contract, the Company recorded revenue of $2.7 million in the fourth quarter of 2013 relating to manufacturing and other activities that support the Phase 1/2 clinical trial of its H7N9 candidate and Matrix-M adjuvant, which began in the first quarter of 2014. Under certain circumstances, HHS BARDA reimbursements may be delayed or even potentially withheld. In March 2012, the Company decided to conduct a Phase 2 clinical trial of its quadrivalent seasonal influenza vaccine candidate ("205 Trial") under its existing U.S. investigational new drug application ("IND") for its trivalent seasonal influenza vaccine candidate as opposed to waiting to conduct this clinical trial under a new IND for its quadrivalent vaccine candidate ("Quadrivalent IND"). Based on the Company's discussions with HHS BARDA in 2012, the outside clinical trial costs for the 205 Trial may only be submitted for reimbursement to HHS BARDA and recorded as revenue by the Company after it submits the clinical trial data in a future Quadrivalent IND. The submission of the Quadrivalent IND is expected shortly before the Company initiates the next Phase 2 dose-confirmatory clinical trial, which is currently expected in the fourth quarter of 2014. The outside clinical trial costs of the 205 Trial conducted in 2012 total $2.9 million. These costs have been recorded as an expense and are included in cost of government contracts revenue. 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 ("CPLB"), of which 20% is owned by the Company and 80% is owned by Cadila. CPLB 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. CPLB 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 CPLB using Company technology for commercialization in every country except India and for vaccines developed by CPLB using Cadila technology for commercialization in certain other countries, including the U.S. Cadila has supported and continues to support the CPLB's operations. CPLB is actively developing a number of vaccine candidates that were genetically engineered by Novavax. CPLB's seasonal and pandemic influenza vaccine candidates began Phase 1/2 clinical trials in 2012. Also in 2012, the CPLB formed a new collaboration to develop a novel malaria vaccine in India with the International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology. CPLB's rabies G protein vaccine candidate entered a Phase 1/2 clinical trial in India in January 2014. 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 CPLB's activities and operations are controlled and funded by Cadila, 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. LG Life Sciences, Ltd. ("LGLS") License Agreement In February 2011, the Company entered into a license agreement with LGLS that allows LGLS to use the Company's technology to develop and commercially sell influenza vaccines exclusively in South Korea and non-exclusively in certain other specified countries. At its own cost, LGLS is responsible for funding both its clinical development of the influenza VLP vaccines and a manufacturing facility to produce such vaccine in South Korea. Under the license agreement, the Company is obligated to provide LGLS with information and materials related to the manufacture of the licensed products, provide on-going project management and regulatory support and conduct clinical trials of its influenza vaccines in order to obtain FDA approval in the U.S. The term of the license agreement is expected to terminate in 2027. Payments to the Company under the license agreement include an upfront payment of $2.5 million, reimbursements of certain development and product costs, payments related to the achievement of certain milestones and royalty payments in the high single digits from LGLS's future commercial sales of influenza VLP vaccines. The upfront payment has been deferred and will be recognized when the previously mentioned obligations in the agreement are satisfied, which may not occur until the end of the term of the agreement. Payments for milestones under the agreement will be recognized on a straight-line basis over the remaining term of the research and development period upon achievement of such milestone. Any royalties under the agreement will be recognized as earned. PATH Vaccine Solutions ("PATH") Clinical Development Agreement In July 2012, the Company entered into a clinical development agreement with PATH to develop its vaccine candidate to protect against RSV through maternal immunization in low-resource countries (the "RSV Collaboration Program"). The Company was awarded approximately $2.0 million by PATH for initial funding under the agreement to partially support its initial Phase 2 dose-ranging clinical trial in women of childbearing age, which was launched in October 2012. The funding under the agreement was increased by $0.4 million to support the Company's reproductive toxicology studies, which are necessary before it conducts clinical trials in pregnant women. In December 2013, the Company entered into an amendment with PATH providing an additional $3.5 million in funding to support the Phase 2 dose-confirmation clinical trial in 720 women of childbearing age. The term of the agreement has been extended to October 2014. The Company retains global rights to commercialize the product and will support PATH in its goal to make the vaccine affordable and available in low-resource countries. To the extent PATH elects to continue to fund 50% of the Company's external clinical development costs for the RSV Collaboration Program, but the Company does not continue development, the Company would then grant PATH a fully-paid license to its RSV vaccine technology for use in pregnant women in such low-resource countries. The Company recognized revenue of approximately $2.5 million in 2013, and has recognized approximately $3.8 million in revenue since the inception of the agreement. Revenue under this arrangement is being recognized under the proportional performance method and earned in proportion to the contract costs incurred in performance of the work as compared to total estimated contract costs. Costs incurred under this agreement represent a reasonable measurement of proportional performance of the services being performed.

Note 8 - U.S. Government Agreement, Joint Venture and Collaborations

HHS BARDA Contract for Recombinant Influenza Vaccines

In February 2011, the Company was awarded a contract from HHS BARDA valued at $97 million for the first three-year base-period, which was extended in February 2014 by seven months to September 2014, with an HHS BARDA option for an additional two-year period valued at $79 million. This extension is intended to allow the Company to continue to access the remainder of the base-period funding. The HHS BARDA contract award provides significant funding for the Company's ongoing clinical development and product scale-up of both its seasonal and pandemic influenza vaccine candidates. This is a cost-plus-fixed-fee contract in which HHS BARDA will reimburse the Company for allowable direct contract costs incurred plus allowable indirect costs and a fixed-fee earned in the further development of its multivalent seasonal and monovalent pandemic influenza vaccines. HHS BARDA originally directed the Company to develop its monovalent pandemic influenza vaccines against the A(H5N1) strain. In February 2014, the Company amended its contract with HHS BARDA to focus its development of a monovalent pandemic influenza vaccine against the A(H7N9) strain with a Phase 1/2 clinical trial with its H7N9 candidate and Matrix-M adjuvant, which began in the first quarter of 2014; however, HHS BARDA has also indicated that the Company's H5N1 vaccine program remains a viable potential development opportunity under the contract. Billings under the contract are based on approved provisional indirect billing rates, which permit recovery of fringe benefits, overhead and general and administrative expenses not exceeding certain limits. These indirect rates are subject to audit by HHS BARDA on an annual basis. An audit by the U.S government of fiscal years 2011 and 2012 has been completed as of the date of this filing. Management believes that revenue for periods not yet audited has been recorded in amounts that are expected to be realized upon final audit and settlement. When the final determination of the allowable costs for any year has been made, revenue and billings may be adjusted accordingly. The Company recognized revenue of approximately $17.4 million in 2013, and has recognized approximately $52 million in revenue since the inception of the contract. In connection with the recent amendment of the HHS BARDA contract, the Company recorded revenue of $2.7 million in the fourth quarter of 2013 relating to manufacturing and other activities that support the Phase 1/2 clinical trial of its H7N9 candidate and Matrix-M adjuvant, which began in the first quarter of 2014.

Under certain circumstances, HHS BARDA reimbursements may be delayed or even potentially withheld. In March 2012, the Company decided to conduct a Phase 2 clinical trial of its quadrivalent seasonal influenza vaccine candidate ("205 Trial") under its existing U.S. investigational new drug application ("IND") for its trivalent seasonal influenza vaccine candidate as opposed to waiting to conduct this clinical trial under a new IND for its quadrivalent vaccine candidate ("Quadrivalent IND"). Based on the Company's discussions with HHS BARDA in 2012, the outside clinical trial costs for the 205 Trial may only be submitted for reimbursement to HHS BARDA and recorded as revenue by the Company after it submits the clinical trial data in a future Quadrivalent IND. The submission of the Quadrivalent IND is expected shortly before the Company initiates the next Phase 2 dose-confirmatory clinical trial, which is currently expected in the fourth quarter of 2014. The outside clinical trial costs of the 205 Trial conducted in 2012 total $2.9 million. These costs have been recorded as an expense and are included in cost of government contracts revenue.

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 ("CPLB"), of which 20% is owned by the Company and 80% is owned by Cadila. CPLB 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. CPLB 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 CPLB using Company technology for commercialization in every country except India and for vaccines developed by CPLB using Cadila technology for commercialization in certain other countries, including the U.S. Cadila has supported and continues to support the CPLB's operations. CPLB is actively developing a number of vaccine candidates that were genetically engineered by Novavax. CPLB's seasonal and pandemic influenza vaccine candidates began Phase 1/2 clinical trials in 2012. Also in 2012, the CPLB formed a new collaboration to develop a novel malaria vaccine in India with the International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology. CPLB's rabies G protein vaccine candidate entered a Phase 1/2 clinical trial in India in January 2014. 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 CPLB's activities and operations are controlled and funded by Cadila, 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.

LG Life Sciences, Ltd. ("LGLS") License Agreement

In February 2011, the Company entered into a license agreement with LGLS that allows LGLS to use the Company's technology to develop and commercially sell influenza vaccines exclusively in South Korea and non-exclusively in certain other specified countries. At its own cost, LGLS is responsible for funding both its clinical development of the influenza VLP vaccines and a manufacturing facility to produce such vaccine in South Korea. Under the license agreement, the Company is obligated to provide LGLS with information and materials related to the manufacture of the licensed products, provide on-going project management and regulatory support and conduct clinical trials of its influenza vaccines in order to obtain FDA approval in the U.S. The term of the license agreement is expected to terminate in 2027. Payments to the Company under the license agreement include an upfront payment of $2.5 million, reimbursements of certain development and product costs, payments related to the achievement of certain milestones and royalty payments in the high single digits from LGLS's future commercial sales of influenza VLP vaccines. The upfront payment has been deferred and will be recognized when the previously mentioned obligations in the agreement are satisfied, which may not occur until the end of the term of the agreement. Payments for milestones under the agreement will be recognized on a straight-line basis over the remaining term of the research and development period upon achievement of such milestone. Any royalties under the agreement will be recognized as earned.

PATH Vaccine Solutions ("PATH") Clinical Development Agreement

In July 2012, the Company entered into a clinical development agreement with PATH to develop its vaccine candidate to protect against RSV through maternal immunization in low-resource countries (the "RSV Collaboration Program"). The Company was awarded approximately $2.0 million by PATH for initial funding under the agreement to partially support its initial Phase 2 dose-ranging clinical trial in women of childbearing age, which was launched in October 2012. The funding under the agreement was increased by $0.4 million to support the Company's reproductive toxicology studies, which are necessary before it conducts clinical trials in pregnant women. In December 2013, the Company entered into an amendment with PATH providing an additional $3.5 million in funding to support the Phase 2 dose-confirmation clinical trial in 720 women of childbearing age. The term of the agreement has been extended to October 2014. The Company retains global rights to commercialize the product and will support PATH in its goal to make the vaccine affordable and available in low-resource countries. To the extent PATH elects to continue to fund 50% of the Company's external clinical development costs for the RSV Collaboration Program, but the Company does not continue development, the Company would then grant PATH a fully-paid license to its RSV vaccine technology for use in pregnant women in such low-resource countries. The Company recognized revenue of approximately $2.5 million in 2013, and has recognized approximately $3.8 million in revenue since the inception of the agreement. Revenue under this arrangement is being recognized under the proportional performance method and earned in proportion to the contract costs incurred in performance of the work as compared to total estimated contract costs. Costs incurred under this agreement represent a reasonable measurement of proportional performance of the services being performed.