Major Customers, Partnerships And Strategic Alliances	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2011
Major Customers, Partnerships And Strategic Alliances [Abstract]
Major Customers, Partnerships And Strategic Alliances	NOTE 4 – MAJOR CUSTOMERS, PARTNERSHIPS AND STRATEGIC ALLIANCES Collaboration Agreements *Agreement with Sigma-Aldrich Corporation in Laboratory Research Reagents, Transgenic Animal and Commercial Protein Production Cell-line Engineering* In July 2007, Sangamo entered into a license agreement with Sigma. Under the license agreement, Sangamo agreed to provide Sigma with access to its proprietary ZFP technology and the exclusive right to use the technology to develop and commercialize research reagent products and services in the research field, excluding certain agricultural research uses that Sangamo previously licensed to Dow AgroSciences LLC. Under the agreement, Sangamo and Sigma agreed to conduct a three-year research program to develop laboratory research reagents using Sangamo's ZFP technology during which time Sangamo agreed to assist Sigma in connection with its efforts to market and sell services employing the Company's ZFP technology in the research field. Sangamo has transferred the ZFP manufacturing technology to Sigma. In October 2009, Sangamo expanded its license agreement with Sigma. In addition to the original terms of the license agreement, Sigma received exclusive rights to develop and distribute ZFP-modified cell lines for commercial production of protein pharmaceuticals and certain ZFP-engineered transgenic animals for commercial applications. Under the terms of the agreement, Sigma made an upfront cash payment of $20.0 million consisting of a $4.9 million purchase of 636,133 shares of Sangamo common stock, valued at $4.9 million, and a $15.1 million upfront license fee. The upfront license fee was recognized on a straight-line basis from the effective date of the expanded license through July 2010, which represents the period over which Sangamo was obligated to perform research services for Sigma. Sangamo is also eligible to receive commercial license fees of $5.0 million based upon a percentage of net sales and sublicensing revenue and thereafter a reduced royalty rate of 10.5% of net sales and sublicensing revenue. In addition, upon the achievement of certain cumulative commercial milestones Sigma will make milestone payments to Sangamo up to an aggregate of $25.0 million. License fee and milestone revenues related to the Sigma agreements were $0.7 million, $11.6 million and $11.1 million during 2011, 2010 and 2009, respectively. Royalty revenues under the Sigma agreement were $0.9 million, $0.7 million and $0.3 million during 2011, 2010 and 2009, respectively. Related costs and expenses incurred under the Sigma agreement were $0.5 million, $1.2 million and $2.6 million during 2011, 2010 and 2009, respectively. *Agreement with Dow AgroSciences in Plant Agriculture* In October 2005, Sangamo entered into an exclusive commercial license with DAS. Under this agreement, Sangamo is providing DAS with access to its proprietary ZFP technology and the exclusive right to use the technology to modify the genomes or alter the nucleic acid or protein expression of plant cells, plants, or plant cell cultures. Sangamo has retained rights to use plants or plant-derived products to deliver ZFP transcription factors (ZFP TFs) or ZFP nucleases (ZFNs) into humans or animals for diagnostic, therapeutic, or prophylactic purposes. The Company's agreement with DAS provided for an initial three-year research term. In June 2008, DAS exercised its option under the agreement to obtain a commercial license to sell products incorporating or derived from plant cells generated using the Company's ZFP technology, including agricultural crops, industrial products and plant-derived biopharmaceuticals. The exercise of the option triggered a one-time commercial license fee of $6.0 million, payment of the remaining $2.3 million of the previously agreed $4.0 million in research milestones, development and commercialization milestone payments for each product, and royalties on sales of products. Furthermore, DAS has the right to sublicense Sangamo's ZFP technology to third parties for use in plant cells, plants, or plant cell cultures, and Sangamo will be entitled to 25% of any cash consideration received by DAS under such sublicenses. In December 2010, the Company amended its agreement with DAS to extend the period of reagent manufacturing services through December 31, 2011 and research services through December 31, 2012. The agreement also provides for minimum sublicense fees each year due to Sangamo every October, provided the agreement is not terminated by DAS. Annual fees range from $250,000 to $3.0 million and total $25.3 million over 11 years. The Company does not have any performance obligations with respect to the sublicensing activities to be conducted by DAS. DAS has the right to terminate the agreement at any time; accordingly, the Company's actual sublicense fees over the term of the agreement could be lower than $25.3 million. In addition, each party may terminate the agreement upon an uncured material breach of the agreement by the other party. In the event of any termination of the agreement, all rights to use the Company's ZFP technology will revert to Sangamo, and DAS will no longer be permitted to practice Sangamo's ZFP technology or to develop or, except in limited circumstances, commercialize any products derived from the Company's ZFP technology. Revenues under the agreement were $4.5 million, $4.4 million and $8.8 million during 2011, 2010 and 2009, respectively. Related costs and expenses incurred under the agreement were $0.9 million, $0.7 million and $0.6 million during 2011, 2010 and 2009, respectively. Funding from Research Foundations *California Institute for Regenerative Medicine* In October 2009, the CIRM, a State of California entity, granted a $14.5 million Disease Team Research Award to develop an AIDS-related lymphoma therapy based on the application of ZFN gene-editing technology in stem cells. The four year grant supports an innovative research project conducted by a multidisciplinary team of investigators, including investigators from the University of Southern California, City of Hope National Medical Center and Sangamo BioSciences. Sangamo expects to receive funding up to $5.2 million from the total amount awarded based on expenses incurred for research and development efforts by Sangamo as prescribed in the agreement, and subject to its terms and conditions. The award is intended to substantially fund Sangamo's research and development efforts related to the agreement. The State of California has the right to receive, subject to the terms and conditions of the agreement between Sangamo and CIRM, payments from Sangamo resulting from sales of a commercial product resulting from research and development efforts supported by the grant, not to exceed two times the amount Sangamo receives in funding under the agreement with CIRM. Revenues attributable to research and development performed under the CIRM grant agreement for AIDS-related lymphoma therapy were $1.7 million, $1.0 million and $0 during 2011, 2010 and 2009, respectively. *CHDI Foundation, Inc.* In April 2011, Sangamo entered into an agreement with the CHDI to develop a novel therapeutic for Huntington's disease based on Sangamo's proprietary ZFP technology. The ZFP therapeutic approach will target the gene that causes Huntington's disease, an inherited neurodegenerative disease for which there are currently no therapies available to slow the disease progression. Under the agreement with CHDI, and subject to its terms and conditions, CHDI will pay the Company $1.3 million, the total funds due under the agreement, over a period of one year which is intended to substantially fund the Company's research efforts related to the agreement. Revenues attributable to research and development performed under the CHDI collaboration agreement were $1.1 million during 2011. *The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research* In January 2007, Sangamo entered into an agreement with the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research (MJFF) to provide financial support of a program to develop Sangamo's ZFP TFs to activate the expression of glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) that has shown promise in preclinical testing to slow or stop the progression of Parkinson's disease. Under the agreement with MJFF, and subject to its terms and conditions, MJFF paid the Company $1.0 million, the total funds due under the agreement, over a period of two years. In June 2010, Sangamo received a commitment for renewed funding from MJFF to support further studies of ZFP TF activators of GDNF. Subject to the terms and conditions of the agreement, the $0.9 million award was paid over a period of two years and was intended to substantially fund the Company's research efforts related to the agreement. As of December 31, 2011, all revenues under the agreement have been recognized. Revenues attributable to research and development performed under the MJFF agreement were $0.4 million in 2011 and 2010 and $0 in 2009. *The Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation International* In October 2006, Sangamo entered into an agreement with the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation International (JDRF) to provide financial support for one of Sangamo's Phase 2 human clinical studies (SB-509-601) of the Company's product candidate SB-509, a ZFP Therapeutic ^® that was in development for the treatment of diabetic neuropathy. In January 2010, JDRF and Sangamo amended the agreement and, subject to its terms and conditions, JDRF agreed to provide additional funding of up to $3.0 million for a Phase 2b trial in diabetic neuropathy (SB-509-901) which was intended to partially fund expenses related to the trial. Under the amended agreement, Sangamo was obligated to use commercially reasonable efforts to carry out the Phase 2b trial and, thereafter, to develop and commercialize a product containing SB-509 for the treatment of diabetes and complications of diabetes. Sangamo is obligated to cover all costs of the Phase 2b trial that are not covered by JDRF's grant. On October 3, 2011, the Company announced that the SB-509-901 trial did not meet its primary or secondary clinical endpoints in subjects with moderate severity diabetic neuropathy as compared to placebo. Further, the Company decided not to pursue additional clinical development of the SB-509 program. Upon termination of the program and pursuant to the terms of the agreement, JDRF may have the right, subject to certain limitations, to obtain an exclusive, sublicensable license, to the intellectual property generated by the Company in the course of the Phase 2b trial, to make and commercialize products containing SB-509 for the treatment of diabetes and complications of diabetes. If JDRF obtains such a license, it is obligated to pay Sangamo a percentage of its revenues from product sales and sublicensing arrangements. If JDRF fails to satisfy its obligations to develop and commercialize a product containing SB-509 under the agreement, then their license rights will terminate and Sangamo will receive a non-exclusive, fully paid license, for any intellectual property developed during JDRF's use of the license, to research, develop and commercialize products containing SB-509 for the treatment of diabetes and complications of diabetes. Revenues attributable to research and development activities performed under the JDRF agreements were $0.5 million, $1.5 million and $0.5 million during 2011, 2010 and 2009, respectively. Funding from Other Sources *Qualifying Therapeutic Discovery Project Program* In October 2010, Sangamo was awarded a total of $1.0 million in grants for four qualifying therapeutic discovery projects under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. There was no such funding in 2011 or 2009.

NOTE 4 – MAJOR CUSTOMERS, PARTNERSHIPS AND STRATEGIC ALLIANCES

Collaboration Agreements

Agreement with Sigma-Aldrich Corporation in Laboratory Research Reagents, Transgenic Animal and Commercial Protein Production Cell-line Engineering

In July 2007, Sangamo entered into a license agreement with Sigma. Under the license agreement, Sangamo agreed to provide Sigma with access to its proprietary ZFP technology and the exclusive right to use the technology to develop and commercialize research reagent products and services in the research field, excluding certain agricultural research uses that Sangamo previously licensed to Dow AgroSciences LLC. Under the agreement, Sangamo and Sigma agreed to conduct a three-year research program to develop laboratory research reagents using Sangamo's ZFP technology during which time Sangamo agreed to assist Sigma in connection with its efforts to market and sell services employing the Company's ZFP technology in the research field. Sangamo has transferred the ZFP manufacturing technology to Sigma.

In October 2009, Sangamo expanded its license agreement with Sigma. In addition to the original terms of the license agreement, Sigma received exclusive rights to develop and distribute ZFP-modified cell lines for commercial production of protein pharmaceuticals and certain ZFP-engineered transgenic animals for commercial applications. Under the terms of the agreement, Sigma made an upfront cash payment of $20.0 million consisting of a $4.9 million purchase of 636,133 shares of Sangamo common stock, valued at $4.9 million, and a $15.1 million upfront license fee. The upfront license fee was recognized on a straight-line basis from the effective date of the expanded license through July 2010, which represents the period over which Sangamo was obligated to perform research services for Sigma. Sangamo is also eligible to receive commercial license fees of $5.0 million based upon a percentage of net sales and sublicensing revenue and thereafter a reduced royalty rate of 10.5% of net sales and sublicensing revenue. In addition, upon the achievement of certain cumulative commercial milestones Sigma will make milestone payments to Sangamo up to an aggregate of $25.0 million.

License fee and milestone revenues related to the Sigma agreements were $0.7 million, $11.6 million and $11.1 million during 2011, 2010 and 2009, respectively. Royalty revenues under the Sigma agreement were $0.9 million, $0.7 million and $0.3 million during 2011, 2010 and 2009, respectively. Related costs and expenses incurred under the Sigma agreement were $0.5 million, $1.2 million and $2.6 million during 2011, 2010 and 2009, respectively.

Agreement with Dow AgroSciences in Plant Agriculture

In October 2005, Sangamo entered into an exclusive commercial license with DAS. Under this agreement, Sangamo is providing DAS with access to its proprietary ZFP technology and the exclusive right to use the technology to modify the genomes or alter the nucleic acid or protein expression of plant cells, plants, or plant cell cultures. Sangamo has retained rights to use plants or plant-derived products to deliver ZFP transcription factors (ZFP TFs) or ZFP nucleases (ZFNs) into humans or animals for diagnostic, therapeutic, or prophylactic purposes. The Company's agreement with DAS provided for an initial three-year research term. In June 2008, DAS exercised its option under the agreement to obtain a commercial license to sell products incorporating or derived from plant cells generated using the Company's ZFP technology, including agricultural crops, industrial products and plant-derived biopharmaceuticals. The exercise of the option triggered a one-time commercial license fee of $6.0 million, payment of the remaining $2.3 million of the previously agreed $4.0 million in research milestones, development and commercialization milestone payments for each product, and royalties on sales of products. Furthermore, DAS has the right to sublicense Sangamo's ZFP technology to third parties for use in plant cells, plants, or plant cell cultures, and Sangamo will be entitled to 25% of any cash consideration received by DAS under such sublicenses. In December 2010, the Company amended its agreement with DAS to extend the period of reagent manufacturing services through December 31, 2011 and research services through December 31, 2012.

The agreement also provides for minimum sublicense fees each year due to Sangamo every October, provided the agreement is not terminated by DAS. Annual fees range from $250,000 to $3.0 million and total $25.3 million over 11 years. The Company does not have any performance obligations with respect to the sublicensing activities to be conducted by DAS. DAS has the right to terminate the agreement at any time; accordingly, the Company's actual sublicense fees over the term of the agreement could be lower than $25.3 million. In addition, each party may terminate the agreement upon an uncured material breach of the agreement by the other party. In the event of any termination of the agreement, all rights to use the Company's ZFP technology will revert to Sangamo, and DAS will no longer be permitted to practice Sangamo's ZFP technology or to develop or, except in limited circumstances, commercialize any products derived from the Company's ZFP technology.

Revenues under the agreement were $4.5 million, $4.4 million and $8.8 million during 2011, 2010 and 2009, respectively. Related costs and expenses incurred under the agreement were $0.9 million, $0.7 million and $0.6 million during 2011, 2010 and 2009, respectively.

Funding from Research Foundations

California Institute for Regenerative Medicine

In October 2009, the CIRM, a State of California entity, granted a $14.5 million Disease Team Research Award to develop an AIDS-related lymphoma therapy based on the application of ZFN gene-editing technology in stem cells. The four year grant supports an innovative research project conducted by a multidisciplinary team of investigators, including investigators from the University of Southern California, City of Hope National Medical Center and Sangamo BioSciences. Sangamo expects to receive funding up to $5.2 million from the total amount awarded based on expenses incurred for research and development efforts by Sangamo as prescribed in the agreement, and subject to its terms and conditions. The award is intended to substantially fund Sangamo's research and development efforts related to the agreement. The State of California has the right to receive, subject to the terms and conditions of the agreement between Sangamo and CIRM, payments from Sangamo resulting from sales of a commercial product resulting from research and development efforts supported by the grant, not to exceed two times the amount Sangamo receives in funding under the agreement with CIRM.

Revenues attributable to research and development performed under the CIRM grant agreement for AIDS-related lymphoma therapy were $1.7 million, $1.0 million and $0 during 2011, 2010 and 2009, respectively.

CHDI Foundation, Inc.

In April 2011, Sangamo entered into an agreement with the CHDI to develop a novel therapeutic for Huntington's disease based on Sangamo's proprietary ZFP technology. The ZFP therapeutic approach will target the gene that causes Huntington's disease, an inherited neurodegenerative disease for which there are currently no therapies available to slow the disease progression. Under the agreement with CHDI, and subject to its terms and conditions, CHDI will pay the Company $1.3 million, the total funds due under the agreement, over a period of one year which is intended to substantially fund the Company's research efforts related to the agreement.

Revenues attributable to research and development performed under the CHDI collaboration agreement were $1.1 million during 2011.

The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research

In January 2007, Sangamo entered into an agreement with the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research (MJFF) to provide financial support of a program to develop Sangamo's ZFP TFs to activate the expression of glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) that has shown promise in preclinical testing to slow or stop the progression of Parkinson's disease. Under the agreement with MJFF, and subject to its terms and conditions, MJFF paid the Company $1.0 million, the total funds due under the agreement, over a period of two years. In June 2010, Sangamo received a commitment for renewed funding from MJFF to support further studies of ZFP TF activators of GDNF. Subject to the terms and conditions of the agreement, the $0.9 million award was paid over a period of two years and was intended to substantially fund the Company's research efforts related to the agreement. As of December 31, 2011, all revenues under the agreement have been recognized.

Revenues attributable to research and development performed under the MJFF agreement were $0.4 million in 2011 and 2010 and $0 in 2009.

The Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation International

In October 2006, Sangamo entered into an agreement with the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation International (JDRF) to provide financial support for one of Sangamo's Phase 2 human clinical studies (SB-509-601) of the Company's product candidate SB-509, a ZFP Therapeutic ^® that was in development for the treatment of diabetic neuropathy. In January 2010, JDRF and Sangamo amended the agreement and, subject to its terms and conditions, JDRF agreed to provide additional funding of up to $3.0 million for a Phase 2b trial in diabetic neuropathy (SB-509-901) which was intended to partially fund expenses related to the trial. Under the amended agreement, Sangamo was obligated to use commercially reasonable efforts to carry out the Phase 2b trial and, thereafter, to develop and commercialize a product containing SB-509 for the treatment of diabetes and complications of diabetes. Sangamo is obligated to cover all costs of the Phase 2b trial that are not covered by JDRF's grant.

On October 3, 2011, the Company announced that the SB-509-901 trial did not meet its primary or secondary clinical endpoints in subjects with moderate severity diabetic neuropathy as compared to placebo. Further, the Company decided not to pursue additional clinical development of the SB-509 program. Upon termination of the program and pursuant to the terms of the agreement, JDRF may have the right, subject to certain limitations, to obtain an exclusive, sublicensable license, to the intellectual property generated by the Company in the course of the Phase 2b trial, to make and commercialize products containing SB-509 for the treatment of diabetes and complications of diabetes. If JDRF obtains such a license, it is obligated to pay Sangamo a percentage of its revenues from product sales and sublicensing arrangements. If JDRF fails to satisfy its obligations to develop and commercialize a product containing SB-509 under the agreement, then their license rights will terminate and Sangamo will receive a non-exclusive, fully paid license, for any intellectual property developed during JDRF's use of the license, to research, develop and commercialize products containing SB-509 for the treatment of diabetes and complications of diabetes.

Revenues attributable to research and development activities performed under the JDRF agreements were $0.5 million, $1.5 million and $0.5 million during 2011, 2010 and 2009, respectively.

Funding from Other Sources

Qualifying Therapeutic Discovery Project Program

In October 2010, Sangamo was awarded a total of $1.0 million in grants for four qualifying therapeutic discovery projects under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. There was no such funding in 2011 or 2009.