Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2020
Accounting Policies [Abstract]
Basis of Presentation	Basis of Presentation The accompanying interim condensed consolidated financial statements are unaudited and have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America ("U.S. GAAP"). Certain information and footnote disclosures normally included in the Company's annual financial statements have been condensed or omitted. These interim condensed consolidated financial statements, in the opinion of management, reflect all normal recurring adjustments necessary for fair statement of the Company's financial position as of September 30, 2020 and results of operations and cash flows for the interim periods ended September 30, 2020 and 2019. The year-end condensed consolidated balance sheet data was derived from the Company's audited financial statements but does not include all disclosures required by U.S. GAAP. These interim financial results are not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected for the year ending December 31, 2020, or for any other future annual or interim period. The accompanying interim unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the audited consolidated financial statements and related notes thereto included in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019.
Consolidation	The accompanying condensed consolidated financial statements reflect the operations of Precigen and its subsidiaries. All intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated.
Equity Method Investments	Equity Method InvestmentsThe Company accounts for its investments in each of its joint ventures ("JVs") and for its investments in start-up entities backed by the Harvest Intrexon Enterprise Fund I, LP ("Harvest"), all of which are related parties, using the equity method of accounting based upon relative ownership interest. The Company's investments in these entities are included in investments in affiliates in the accompanying condensed consolidated balance sheets.
Variable Interest Entities	Variable Interest EntitiesAs of September 30, 2020 and December 31, 2019, the Company determined that certain of its collaborators and JVs, as well as Harvest, were variable interest entities ("VIEs"). The Company was not the primary beneficiary for these entities since it did not have the power to direct the activities that most significantly impact the economic performance of the VIEs.
Accounts Receivable	Accounts Receivable Effective January 1, 2020, the Company applies Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") Accounting Standard Update ("ASU") 2016-13, Financial Instruments - Credit Losses (Topic 326): Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments ("ASU 2016-13"). This ASU replaces the incurred loss impairment model with an expected credit loss impairment model for financial instruments, including accounts receivable. The amendment requires entities to consider forward-looking information to estimate expected credit losses, resulting in earlier recognition of losses for receivables that are current or not yet due, which were not considered under the previous accounting guidance. The Company is exposed to credit losses primarily through sales of products and services by Trans Ova and Exemplar in the normal course of business. The Company's expected loss allowance methodology for accounts receivable is developed using historical collection experience, current and future economic and market conditions, and a review of the current status of customers' accounts receivables. The Company's monitoring activities include timely account reconciliation, routine follow-up on past due accounts, and consideration of customers' financial condition, as well as macroeconomic conditions. Past due status is determined based upon contractual terms. Balances are written off at the point when collection attempts have been exhausted. Estimates are used to determine the loss allowance, which is based on assessment of anticipated payment and other historical, current, and future information that is reasonably available.
Segment Information	Segment Information The Company's chief operating decision maker ("CODM") regularly reviews disaggregated financial information for various operating segments. As of September 30, 2020, the Company's reportable segments were (i) PGEN Therapeutics, (ii) ActoBio, (iii) MBP Titan, (iv) Trans Ova, and (v) the Human Biotherapeutics division, which is an operating division of Precigen. All of Precigen's consolidated subsidiaries and operating divisions that did not meet the quantitative thresholds to report separately are combined and reported in a single category, All Other. See Note 1 for a description of PGEN Therapeutics, ActoBio, MBP Titan, and Trans Ova. See Note 19 for a description of the Human Biotherapeutics division. Corporate expenses, which are not allocated to the segments and are managed at a consolidated level, include costs associated with general and administrative functions, including the Company's finance, accounting, legal, human resources, information technology, corporate communication, and investor relations functions. Corporate expenses exclude interest expense, depreciation and amortization, stock-based compensation expense, and equity in net loss of affiliates and, for 2019, include unrealized and realized gains and losses on the Company's securities portfolio as well as dividend income.
Use of Estimates	Use of Estimates The preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements, and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting periods. Actual results could differ from those estimates.
Recently Issued and Adopted Accounting Pronouncements	Recently Adopted Accounting Pronouncements In October 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-18, Collaborative Arrangements (Topic 808): Clarifying the Interaction between Topic 808 and Topic 606 ("ASU 2018-18"). The provisions of ASU 2018-18 clarify when certain transactions between collaborative arrangement participants should be accounted for under Accounting Standards Codification ("ASC") Topic 606, Revenue from Contracts with Customers ("ASC 606"), and incorporates unit-of-account guidance consistent with ASC 606 to aid in this determination. The Company adopted this standard effective January 1, 2020, and there was no impact to the accompanying consolidated financial statements. In October 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-17, Consolidation (Topic 810): Targeted Improvements to Related Party Guidance for Variable Interest Entities ("ASU 2018-17"). The provisions of ASU 2018-17 modify the guidance under ASC Topic 810 related to the evaluation of indirect interests held through related parties under common control when determining whether fees paid to decision makers and service providers are variable interests. Indirect interests held through related parties that are under common control are no longer considered to be the equivalent of direct interests in their entirety and instead should be considered on a proportional basis. This guidance more closely aligns with accounting of how indirect interests held through related parties under common control are considered for determining whether a reporting entity must consolidate a VIE. The Company adopted this standard effective January 1, 2020, and there was no impact to the accompanying consolidated financial statements. In August 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-15, Intangibles - Goodwill and Other-Internal-Use Software (Subtopic 350-40): Customer's Accounting for Implementation Costs Incurred in a Cloud Computing Arrangement That Is a Service Contract ("ASU 2018-15"). The provisions of ASU 2018-15 clarify the accounting for implementation costs of a hosting arrangement that is a service contract. The new standard requires an entity (customer) in a hosting arrangement that is a service contract to follow existing internal-use software guidance to determine which implementation costs to capitalize as an asset related to the service contract and which costs to expense. Capitalized implementation costs of a hosting arrangement that is a service contract should be amortized over the term of the hosting arrangement, which might extend beyond the noncancelable period if there are options to extend or terminate. ASU 2018-15 also specifies the financial statement presentation of capitalized implementation costs and related amortization, in addition to required disclosures for material capitalized implementation costs related to hosting arrangements that are service contracts. The Company adopted this standard effective January 1, 2020, on a prospective basis, and there was no material impact to the accompanying consolidated financial statements. In August 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-13, Fair Value Measurements (Topic 820): Disclosure Framework-Changes to the Disclosure Requirements for Fair Value Measurements ("ASU 2018-13"). The provisions of ASU 2018-13 modify the disclosures related to recurring and nonrecurring fair value measurements. Disclosures related to the transfer of assets between Level 1 and Level 2 hierarchies have been eliminated and various additional disclosures related to Level 3 fair value measurements have been added, modified, or removed. The Company adopted this standard effective January 1, 2020, and there was no impact to the accompanying consolidated financial statements. In June 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-13, which modifies the impairment model to utilize an expected loss methodology in place of the previous incurred loss methodology, and requires a consideration of a broader range of reasonable and supportable information to inform credit loss estimates. The Company adopted this standard effective January 1, 2020, and there was no material impact to the accompanying consolidated financial statements. Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements In August 2020, the FASB issued ASU 2020-06, Debt—Debt with Conversion and Other Options (Subtopic 470-20) and Derivatives and Hedging—Contracts in Entity's Own Equity (Subtopic 815-40)—Accounting for Convertible Instruments and Contracts in an Entity's Own Equity ("ASU 2020-06"). The provisions of ASU 2020-06 simplify accounting for convertible instruments by removing major separation models required under current U.S. GAAP. Consequently, more convertible debt instruments will be reported as a single liability instrument with no separate accounting for embedded conversion features. ASU 2020-06 removes certain settlement conditions that are required for equity contracts to qualify for the derivative scope exception, which will permit more equity contracts to qualify for the exception. ASU 2020-06 also simplifies the diluted net income per share calculation in certain areas. The amendments in ASU 2020-06 are effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2021. Early adoption is permitted but no earlier than annual periods beginning after December 15, 2020. The guidance must be adopted as of the beginning of the fiscal year of adoption. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of the new standard on its consolidated financial statements. In December 2019, the FASB issued ASU 2019-12, Income Taxes (Topic 740): Simplifying the Accounting for Income Taxes ("ASU 2019-12"). The provisions of ASU 2019-12 are intended to simplify various aspects related to accounting for income taxes by removing certain exceptions to the general principles in ASC Topic 740 and clarifying certain aspects of the current guidance to promote consistency among reporting entities. ASU 2019-12 is effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2020 and interim periods within those annual periods, with early adoption permitted. An entity that elects early adoption must adopt all the amendments in the same period. Most amendments within this ASU are required to be applied on a prospective basis, while certain amendments must be applied on a retrospective or modified retrospective basis. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of the new standard on its consolidated financial statements.

Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2020

The accompanying interim condensed consolidated financial statements are unaudited and have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America ("U.S. GAAP"). Certain information and footnote disclosures normally included in the Company's annual financial statements have been condensed or omitted. These interim condensed consolidated financial statements, in the opinion of management, reflect all normal recurring adjustments necessary for fair statement of the Company's financial position as of September 30, 2020 and results of operations and cash flows for the interim periods ended September 30, 2020 and 2019. The year-end condensed consolidated balance sheet data was derived from the Company's audited financial statements but does not include all disclosures required by U.S. GAAP. These interim financial results are not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected for the year ending December 31, 2020, or for any other future annual or interim period. The accompanying interim unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the audited consolidated financial statements and related notes thereto included in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019.

Consolidation

The accompanying condensed consolidated financial statements reflect the operations of Precigen and its subsidiaries. All intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated.

Equity Method Investments

Equity Method InvestmentsThe Company accounts for its investments in each of its joint ventures ("JVs") and for its investments in start-up entities backed by the Harvest Intrexon Enterprise Fund I, LP ("Harvest"), all of which are related parties, using the equity method of accounting based upon relative ownership interest. The Company's investments in these entities are included in investments in affiliates in the accompanying condensed consolidated balance sheets.

Variable Interest Entities

Variable Interest EntitiesAs of September 30, 2020 and December 31, 2019, the Company determined that certain of its collaborators and JVs, as well as Harvest, were variable interest entities ("VIEs"). The Company was not the primary beneficiary for these entities since it did not have the power to direct the activities that most significantly impact the economic performance of the VIEs.

Accounts Receivable

Effective January 1, 2020, the Company applies Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") Accounting Standard Update ("ASU") 2016-13, Financial Instruments - Credit Losses (Topic 326): Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments ("ASU 2016-13"). This ASU replaces the incurred loss impairment model with an expected credit loss impairment model for financial instruments, including accounts receivable. The amendment requires entities to consider forward-looking information to estimate expected credit losses, resulting in earlier recognition of losses for receivables that are current or not yet due, which were not considered under the previous accounting guidance.

The Company is exposed to credit losses primarily through sales of products and services by Trans Ova and Exemplar in the normal course of business. The Company's expected loss allowance methodology for accounts receivable is developed using historical collection experience, current and future economic and market conditions, and a review of the current status of customers' accounts receivables. The Company's monitoring activities include timely account reconciliation, routine follow-up on past due accounts, and consideration of customers' financial condition, as well as macroeconomic conditions. Past due status is determined based upon contractual terms. Balances are written off at the point when collection attempts have been exhausted.

Estimates are used to determine the loss allowance, which is based on assessment of anticipated payment and other historical, current, and future information that is reasonably available.

Segment Information

The Company's chief operating decision maker ("CODM") regularly reviews disaggregated financial information for various operating segments. As of September 30, 2020, the Company's reportable segments were (i) PGEN Therapeutics, (ii) ActoBio, (iii) MBP Titan, (iv) Trans Ova, and (v) the Human Biotherapeutics division, which is an operating division of Precigen. All of Precigen's consolidated subsidiaries and operating divisions that did not meet the quantitative thresholds to report separately are combined and reported in a single category, All Other. See Note 1 for a description of PGEN Therapeutics, ActoBio, MBP Titan, and Trans Ova. See Note 19 for a description of the Human Biotherapeutics division. Corporate expenses, which are not allocated to the segments and are managed at a consolidated level, include costs associated with general and administrative functions, including the Company's finance, accounting, legal, human resources, information technology, corporate

communication, and investor relations functions. Corporate expenses exclude interest expense, depreciation and amortization, stock-based compensation expense, and equity in net loss of affiliates and, for 2019, include unrealized and realized gains and losses on the Company's securities portfolio as well as dividend income.

Use of Estimates

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements, and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting periods. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

Recently Issued and Adopted Accounting Pronouncements

Recently Adopted Accounting Pronouncements

In October 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-18, Collaborative Arrangements (Topic 808): Clarifying the Interaction between Topic 808 and Topic 606 ("ASU 2018-18"). The provisions of ASU 2018-18 clarify when certain transactions between collaborative arrangement participants should be accounted for under Accounting Standards Codification ("ASC") Topic 606, Revenue from Contracts with Customers ("ASC 606"), and incorporates unit-of-account guidance consistent with ASC 606 to aid in this determination. The Company adopted this standard effective January 1, 2020, and there was no impact to the accompanying consolidated financial statements.

In October 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-17, Consolidation (Topic 810): Targeted Improvements to Related Party Guidance for Variable Interest Entities ("ASU 2018-17"). The provisions of ASU 2018-17 modify the guidance under ASC Topic 810 related to the evaluation of indirect interests held through related parties under common control when determining whether fees paid to decision makers and service providers are variable interests. Indirect interests held through related parties that are under common control are no longer considered to be the equivalent of direct interests in their entirety and instead should be considered on a proportional basis. This guidance more closely aligns with accounting of how indirect interests held through related parties under common control are considered for determining whether a reporting entity must consolidate a VIE. The Company adopted this standard effective January 1, 2020, and there was no impact to the accompanying consolidated financial statements.

In August 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-15, Intangibles - Goodwill and Other-Internal-Use Software (Subtopic 350-40): Customer's Accounting for Implementation Costs Incurred in a Cloud Computing Arrangement That Is a Service Contract ("ASU 2018-15"). The provisions of ASU 2018-15 clarify the accounting for implementation costs of a hosting arrangement that is a service contract. The new standard requires an entity (customer) in a hosting arrangement that is a service contract to follow existing internal-use software guidance to determine which implementation costs to capitalize as an asset related to the service contract and which costs to expense. Capitalized implementation costs of a hosting arrangement that is a service contract should be amortized over the term of the hosting arrangement, which might extend beyond the noncancelable period if there are options to extend or terminate. ASU 2018-15 also specifies the financial statement presentation of capitalized implementation costs and related amortization, in addition to required disclosures for material capitalized implementation costs related to hosting arrangements that are service contracts. The Company adopted this standard effective January 1, 2020, on a prospective basis, and there was no material impact to the accompanying consolidated financial statements.

In August 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-13, Fair Value Measurements (Topic 820): Disclosure Framework-Changes to the Disclosure Requirements for Fair Value Measurements ("ASU 2018-13"). The provisions of ASU 2018-13 modify the disclosures related to recurring and nonrecurring fair value measurements. Disclosures related to the transfer of assets between Level 1 and Level 2 hierarchies have been eliminated and various additional disclosures related to Level 3 fair value measurements have been added, modified, or removed. The Company adopted this standard effective January 1, 2020, and there was no impact to the accompanying consolidated financial statements.

In June 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-13, which modifies the impairment model to utilize an expected loss methodology in place of the previous incurred loss methodology, and requires a consideration of a broader range of reasonable and supportable information to inform credit loss estimates. The Company adopted this standard effective January 1, 2020, and there was no material impact to the accompanying consolidated financial statements.

Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements

In August 2020, the FASB issued ASU 2020-06, Debt—Debt with Conversion and Other Options (Subtopic 470-20) and Derivatives and Hedging—Contracts in Entity's Own Equity (Subtopic 815-40)—Accounting for Convertible Instruments and

Contracts in an Entity's Own Equity ("ASU 2020-06"). The provisions of ASU 2020-06 simplify accounting for convertible instruments by removing major separation models required under current U.S. GAAP. Consequently, more convertible debt instruments will be reported as a single liability instrument with no separate accounting for embedded conversion features. ASU 2020-06 removes certain settlement conditions that are required for equity contracts to qualify for the derivative scope exception, which will permit more equity contracts to qualify for the exception. ASU 2020-06 also simplifies the diluted net income per share calculation in certain areas. The amendments in ASU 2020-06 are effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2021. Early adoption is permitted but no earlier than annual periods beginning after December 15, 2020. The guidance must be adopted as of the beginning of the fiscal year of adoption. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of the new standard on its consolidated financial statements.

In December 2019, the FASB issued ASU 2019-12, Income Taxes (Topic 740): Simplifying the Accounting for Income Taxes ("ASU 2019-12"). The provisions of ASU 2019-12 are intended to simplify various aspects related to accounting for income taxes by removing certain exceptions to the general principles in ASC Topic 740 and clarifying certain aspects of the current guidance to promote consistency among reporting entities. ASU 2019-12 is effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2020 and interim periods within those annual periods, with early adoption permitted. An entity that elects early adoption must adopt all the amendments in the same period. Most amendments within this ASU are required to be applied on a prospective basis, while certain amendments must be applied on a retrospective or modified retrospective basis. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of the new standard on its consolidated financial statements.