Contingent milestone payment receivable.

No definition available.

Name:	dvax_ContingentMilestonePaymentReceivable
Namespace Prefix:	dvax_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Upfront payment.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	dvax_UpfrontPayment
Namespace Prefix:	dvax_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Upfront payment receivable.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	dvax_UpfrontPaymentReceivable
Namespace Prefix:	dvax_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of expense for allocation of cost of intangible asset over its useful life directly used in production of good and rendering of service.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 220
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-03(b)(2))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=123367319&loc=SL114868664-224227

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The aggregate total costs related to selling a firm's product and services, as well as all other general and administrative expenses. Direct selling expenses (for example, credit, warranty, and advertising) are expenses that can be directly linked to the sale of specific products. Indirect selling expenses are expenses that cannot be directly linked to the sale of specific products, for example telephone expenses, Internet, and postal charges. General and administrative expenses include salaries of non-sales personnel, rent, utilities, communication, etc.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 220
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-03.4)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=123367319&loc=SL114868664-224227

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_TypeOfArrangementAxis=dvax_AssetPurchaseAgreementMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Intangible Assets, Net - Additional Information (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	1 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2021	Aug. 31, 2020	Dec. 31, 2021	Dec. 31, 2020	Dec. 31, 2019
Finite Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Cost of sales - amortization of intangible assets			$ 0	$ 2,500	$ 9,217
Selling, general and administrative			$ 100,156	79,256	$ 74,986
Asset Purchase Agreement
Finite Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Upfront payment				5,000
Upfront payment receivable				4,000
Additional milestone payments receivable				$ 250,000
Selling, general and administrative	$ 500	$ 2,500