Co-promotion of sales and medical affairs percentage.

No definition available.

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- Definition

Maximum dollar amount of milestone payments eligible to be received under a collaboration arrangement.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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- Definition

Milestone payment recognized as revenue but not yet received from collaboration partner.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Milestone Payments Received To Date Under Collaboration Arrangement

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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- Definition

Percentage of Development Milestone Payments To Licensor

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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- Definition

Remaining development milestone payments that are eligible to be received in the futures under collaboration arrangements.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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- Definition

Remaining sales milestone payments that are eligible to be received in the futures under collaboration arrangements.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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- Definition

Range of royalty percentage rates.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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- Definition

Share Percentage Of Development And Commercialization Cost Under Former Collaboration

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No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	mdvn_SharePercentageOfDevelopmentAndCommercializationCostUnderFormerCollaboration
Namespace Prefix:	mdvn_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of deferred revenue recognized for transactions arising during the current reporting period. Deferred revenue is a liability as of the balance sheet date related to a revenue producing activity for which revenue has not yet been recognized. Generally, an Entity records deferred revenue when it receives consideration from a customer before achieving certain criteria that must be met for revenue to be recognized in conformity with GAAP.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 605

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SAB TOPIC 13.A.4(a).Q1)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=27012821&loc=d3e214044-122780

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Staff Accounting Bulletin (SAB)

-Number Topic 13

-Section A

+ Details

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Collaboration Agreements - Collaboration Agreements with Astellas and Pfizer - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended		3 Months Ended				12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2013 Collaborative agreement [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Astellas Pharma Inc. [Member] Collaborative agreement [Member]	Dec. 31, 2009 Up-front cash payment arrangement [Member] Astellas Pharma Inc. [Member]	Dec. 31, 2008 Up-front cash payment arrangement [Member] Pfizer [Member]	Dec. 31, 2008 Development cost-sharing payments [Member] Pfizer [Member] Collaborative agreement [Member]	Dec. 31, 2008 Commercial cost sharing-payments [Member] Medivation [Member] Collaborative agreement [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Development milestone payments [Member] Astellas Pharma Inc. [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Sales milestone payments [Member] Astellas Pharma Inc. [Member]
Deferred Revenue Arrangement [Line Items]
Co-promotion of sales and medical affairs percentage	50.00%
Royalty received on ex-U.S. sales per collaboration arrangement		Low teens to the low twenties
Non-refundable, up-front cash payment			$ 110.0	$ 225.0
Eligible to receive milestone payments							335.0	320.0
Milestone payments received							78.0
Accrued milestone payments								25.0
Remaining development future sales milestone payments the Company is eligible to receive								295.0
Remaining future development milestone payments the Company is eligible to receive							$ 257.0
Percentage share of development milestone payments							10.00%
Share percentage of developing and commercializing dimebon					60.00%	40.00%