Collaborative Arrangements (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended					12 Months Ended		1 Months Ended	3 Months Ended			1 Months Ended	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2014	Mar. 31, 2013	Mar. 31, 2014 Janssen Pharmaceutica, N.V.	Dec. 31, 2013 Janssen Pharmaceutica, N.V.	Mar. 31, 2013 Janssen Pharmaceutica, N.V.	Dec. 31, 2006 Janssen Pharmaceutica, N.V.	Nov. 30, 2013 Janssen Pharmaceutica, N.V.	Apr. 30, 2011 Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Therapeutics Incorporated	Mar. 31, 2014 Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Therapeutics Incorporated payment	Mar. 31, 2013 Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Therapeutics Incorporated	Sep. 30, 2012 Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Therapeutics Incorporated	Jun. 30, 2011 Alios Bio Pharma Inc	Mar. 31, 2014 Alios Bio Pharma Inc	Mar. 31, 2013 Alios Bio Pharma Inc
Schedule of Collaborative Arrangements
Drug development costs to be paid by collaborator (as a percent)						50.00%
Up-front license payment						$ 165,000,000
Deferred revenue related to up-front license payment			4,300,000				32,100,000
License fee paid upon amendment of agreement				152,000,000
Collaborative revenues recognized
Royalty revenues	10,733,000	43,573,000	4,935,000		39,044,000
Amortized portion of up-front payment			0		3,107,000
Net reimbursement (payment) for telaprevir development costs			1,389,000		(27,000)
Reimbursement for manufacturing services			0		10,299,000
Collaborative revenues	4,257,000	17,414,000	1,389,000	182,400,000	13,379,000				2,868,000	3,559,000
Total revenues	118,451,000	328,368,000	6,324,000		52,423,000
Collaborative funding								75,000,000
Number of years over which funding will be made (in years)								5 years
Milestone payment received										9,300,000	9,300,000
Number of commercial milestone payments for achievement of certain sales levels for corrector compound such as VX-809 or VX-661 (in payments)									2
Up-front payment												60,000,000
Milestone payments													60,000,000
Notice period for termination of contract after completion of clinical trials (in days)													60 days
Latest expiration period for royalty obligation after first commercial sale in country unless contract is terminated earlier (in years)													10 years
Noncontrolling Interest (Alios)
Loss before benefit from income taxes														5,297,000
Decrease in fair value of contingent milestone and royalty payments														2,740,000
Benefit from income taxes	803,000	(130,313,000)												(3,426,000)
Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interest (Alios)	$ 0	$ (4,611,000)												$ 4,611,000