Share-Based Payments - Additional Information (Details) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands		1 Months Ended			12 Months Ended
	Jan. 05, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($) $ / shares shares	Oct. 31, 2016	Nov. 30, 2015	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($) $ / shares shares	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($) $ / shares shares	Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($) $ / shares shares	Apr. 30, 2016 shares	Dec. 31, 2013 $ / shares shares	Aug. 31, 2013 shares
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Shares issued as payment for services | $					$ 10,777	$ 2,169	$ 486
Contribution of services by shareholder | $					$ 0	$ 0	$ 1,991
Intrexon Stock Option Plan - 2008 Plan
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Remaining shares available to grant (in shares)										0
Options outstanding (in shares)		562,951			562,951
Intrexon Stock Option Plan - 2013 Plan
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Remaining shares available to grant (in shares)		4,291,530			4,291,530
Options outstanding (in shares)		10,077,432			10,077,432
Number of authorized awards (in shares)		16,000,000			16,000,000
Intrexon Stock Option Plan - Other Plan
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Options outstanding (in shares)		1,000,000			1,000,000
Intrexon Stock Option Plans
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Options outstanding (in shares)		11,640,383			11,640,383	11,043,528	8,323,544		2,840,648
Term at issuance of option					10 years
Vesting period of option					4 years
Unrecognized compensation costs related to unvested awards | $		$ 94,038			$ 94,038	$ 113,655	$ 62,281
Recognized over weighted-average period					3 years	3 years	3 years
Weighted average grant date fair value of options granted (in usd per share) | $ / shares					$ 16.28	$ 25.96	$ 16.40
Aggregate intrinsic value of options exercised | $					$ 22,704	$ 24,675	$ 6,350
Options outstanding, weighted average exercise price (in usd per share) | $ / shares		$ 31.25			$ 31.25	$ 32.66	$ 22.59		$ 8.27
Options exercisable (in shares)		3,418,035			3,418,035
AquaBounty Stock Option Plan - 2006 Plan
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Remaining shares available to grant (in shares)								0
Options outstanding (in shares)		185,591			185,591	179,426
Options outstanding, weighted average exercise price (in usd per share) | $ / shares		$ 7.89			$ 7.89	$ 7.83
Options exercisable (in shares)		181,766			181,766
AquaBounty Stock Option Plan - 2016 Plan
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Options outstanding (in shares)		0			0
Chief Executive Officer
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Monthly base salary | $					$ 200
Lock-up period					3 years
Term of compensation arrangement		3 months	2 months	12 months
Contribution of services by shareholder | $							$ 1,991
Selling, general and administrative | Chief Executive Officer
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Shares issued as payment for services | $					$ 1,861	$ 314
AquaBounty Technologies, Inc. | Subsequent Event
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Reverse stock split ratio	1-for-30
Reverse stock split, conversion ratio	0.0333