Legal Proceedings	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2013
Legal Proceedings [Abstract]
Legal Matters and Contingencies [Text Block]	Legal Proceedings Resolution of Past Challenges to the Queen et al. Patents in the United States and Europe MedImmune Settlement On February 10, 2011, we entered into a definitive settlement agreement with MedImmune resolving all legal disputes with them, including those relating to MedImmune’s product Synagis^® and PDL’s patents known as the Queen et al. patents. Under the settlement agreement, PDL paid MedImmune $65.0 million on February 15, 2011, and an additional $27.5 million on February 9, 2012, for a total of $92.5 million. No further payments will be owed by MedImmune to PDL under its license to the Queen et al. patents as a result of past or future Synagis sales and MedImmune will cease any support, financial or otherwise, of any party involved in the appeal proceeding before the European Patent Office relating to the opposition against our '216B Patent including the opposition owned by BioTransplant. Settlement with UCB On February 2, 2011, we reached a settlement with UCB. Under the settlement agreement, PDL provided UCB a covenant not to sue UCB for any royalties regarding UCB’s Cimzia^® product under the Queen et al. patents in return for a lump sum payment of $10.0 million to PDL and termination of pending patent interference proceedings before the U.S. Patent and Trademark office involving our U.S. Patent No. 5,585,089 patent and our U.S. Patent No. 6,180,370 in PDL’s favor. UCB also agreed to formally withdraw its opposition appeal challenging the validity of the ‘216B Patent. Settlement with Novartis On February 25, 2011, we reached a settlement with Novartis. Under the settlement agreement, PDL agreed to dismiss its claims against Novartis in its action in Nevada state court which also includes Genentech and Roche as defendants. Novartis agreed to withdraw its opposition appeal in the EPO challenging the validity of the ‘216B Patent. Under the settlement agreement with Novartis, we will pay Novartis certain amounts based on net sales of Lucentis made by Novartis during calendar year 2011 and beyond. The settlement does not affect our claims against Genentech and Roche in the Nevada state court action. We do not currently expect such amount to materially impact our total annual revenues. European Opposition to ‘216B Patent Termination of European Opposition to ‘216B Patent Pursuant to our settlements with UCB, MedImmune and Novartis, and as a result of our acquisition of BioTransplant and subsequent withdrawal of BioTransplant’s appeal, all of the active appellants in the EPO opposition have formally withdrawn their participation in the appeal proceeding. Accordingly, the EPO has canceled the appeal proceeding and terminated the opposition proceeding in its entirety, with the result that the 2007 EPO decision upholding the claims of our ‘216B Patent as valid will become the final decision of the EPO. In the year ending December 31, 2013, approximately 43% of our royalty revenues were derived from sales of products that were made in Europe and sold outside of the United States. Genentech / Roche Matter Settlement Agreement On January 31, 2014, we entered into a settlement agreement with Genentech and Roche which resolves all outstanding legal disputes between the parties, including our Nevada litigation with Genentech relating to an August 2010 facsimile sent by Genentech on behalf of Roche and Novartis asserting its products do not infringe on PDL’s SPC’s, and our arbitration proceedings with Genentech related to the audit of royalties on sales. Under the terms of the settlement agreement, effective retroactively to August 15, 2013, Genentech will pay a fixed royalty rate of 2.125 percent on worldwide sales of all its licensed products, as compared to the previous tiered royalty rate in the U.S and the fixed rate on all ex-U.S. based manufactured and sold licensed products. Pursuant to the agreement, Genentech and Roche confirmed that Avastin, Herceptin, Lucentis, Xolair and Perjeta are licensed products as defined in the relevant license agreements between the parties, and further agreed that Kadcyla and Gazyva are licensed products. Genentech will pay these royalties on all worldwide sales of Avastin, Herceptin, Xolair, Perjeta and Kadcyla occurring on or before December 31, 2015. With respect to Lucentis, Genentech owes no royalties on U.S. sales occurring after June 30, 2013, and will pay a royalty of 2.125 percent on all ex-U.S. sales occurring on or before December 28, 2014. The royalty term for Gazyva remains unchanged from the existing license agreement pertaining thereto. The agreement precludes Genentech and Roche from challenging the validity of PDL’s patents, including its SPCs in Europe, from contesting their obligation to pay royalties, from contesting patent coverage for Avastin, Herceptin, Lucentis, Xolair, Perjeta, Kadcyla and Gazyva and from assisting or encouraging any third party in challenging PDL’s patents and SPCs. The agreement further outlines the conduct of any audits initiated by PDL of the books and records of Genentech in an effort to ensure a full and fair audit procedure. Finally, the agreement clarifies that the sales amounts from which the royalties are calculated does not include certain taxes and discounts. The settlement and the related agreements are conditional upon entry of a proposed order dismissing the underlying litigation and dismissal of the AAA arbitration filed by PDL. Other Legal Proceedings In addition, from time to time, we may be subject to various other legal proceedings and claims that arise in the ordinary course of business and which we do not expect to materially impact our financial statements.

Legal Proceedings

Resolution of Past Challenges to the Queen et al. Patents in the United States and Europe

MedImmune Settlement

On February 10, 2011, we entered into a definitive settlement agreement with MedImmune resolving all legal disputes with them, including those relating to MedImmune’s product Synagis^® and PDL’s patents known as the Queen et al. patents. Under the settlement agreement, PDL paid MedImmune $65.0 million on February 15, 2011, and an additional $27.5 million on February 9, 2012, for a total of $92.5 million. No further payments will be owed by MedImmune to PDL under its license to the Queen et al. patents as a result of past or future Synagis sales and MedImmune will cease any support, financial or otherwise, of any party involved in the appeal proceeding before the European Patent Office relating to the opposition against our '216B Patent including the opposition owned by BioTransplant.

Settlement with UCB

On February 2, 2011, we reached a settlement with UCB. Under the settlement agreement, PDL provided UCB a covenant not to sue UCB for any royalties regarding UCB’s Cimzia^® product under the Queen et al. patents in return for a lump sum payment of $10.0 million to PDL and termination of pending patent interference proceedings before the U.S. Patent and Trademark office involving our U.S. Patent No. 5,585,089 patent and our U.S. Patent No. 6,180,370 in PDL’s favor. UCB also agreed to formally withdraw its opposition appeal challenging the validity of the ‘216B Patent.

Settlement with Novartis

On February 25, 2011, we reached a settlement with Novartis. Under the settlement agreement, PDL agreed to dismiss its claims against Novartis in its action in Nevada state court which also includes Genentech and Roche as defendants. Novartis agreed to withdraw its opposition appeal in the EPO challenging the validity of the ‘216B Patent. Under the settlement agreement with Novartis, we will pay Novartis certain amounts based on net sales of Lucentis made by Novartis during calendar year 2011 and beyond. The settlement does not affect our claims against Genentech and Roche in the Nevada state court action. We do not currently expect such amount to materially impact our total annual revenues.

European Opposition to ‘216B Patent

Termination of European Opposition to ‘216B Patent

Pursuant to our settlements with UCB, MedImmune and Novartis, and as a result of our acquisition of BioTransplant and subsequent withdrawal of BioTransplant’s appeal, all of the active appellants in the EPO opposition have formally withdrawn their participation in the appeal proceeding. Accordingly, the EPO has canceled the appeal proceeding and terminated the opposition proceeding in its entirety, with the result that the 2007 EPO decision upholding the claims of our ‘216B Patent as valid will become the final decision of the EPO. In the year ending December 31, 2013, approximately 43% of our royalty revenues were derived from sales of products that were made in Europe and sold outside of the United States.

Genentech / Roche Matter

Settlement Agreement

On January 31, 2014, we entered into a settlement agreement with Genentech and Roche which resolves all outstanding legal disputes between the parties, including our Nevada litigation with Genentech relating to an August 2010 facsimile sent by Genentech on behalf of Roche and Novartis asserting its products do not infringe on PDL’s SPC’s, and our arbitration proceedings with Genentech related to the audit of royalties on sales.

Under the terms of the settlement agreement, effective retroactively to August 15, 2013, Genentech will pay a fixed royalty rate of 2.125 percent on worldwide sales of all its licensed products, as compared to the previous tiered royalty rate in the U.S and the fixed rate on all ex-U.S. based manufactured and sold licensed products. Pursuant to the agreement, Genentech and Roche confirmed that Avastin, Herceptin, Lucentis, Xolair and Perjeta are licensed products as defined in the relevant license agreements between the parties, and further agreed that Kadcyla and Gazyva are licensed products. Genentech will pay these royalties on all worldwide sales of Avastin, Herceptin, Xolair, Perjeta and Kadcyla occurring on or before December 31, 2015. With respect to Lucentis, Genentech owes no royalties on U.S. sales occurring after June 30, 2013, and will pay a royalty of 2.125 percent on all ex-U.S. sales occurring on or before December 28, 2014. The royalty term for Gazyva remains unchanged from the existing license agreement pertaining thereto.

The agreement precludes Genentech and Roche from challenging the validity of PDL’s patents, including its SPCs in Europe, from contesting their obligation to pay royalties, from contesting patent coverage for Avastin, Herceptin, Lucentis, Xolair, Perjeta, Kadcyla and Gazyva and from assisting or encouraging any third party in challenging PDL’s patents and SPCs. The agreement further outlines the conduct of any audits initiated by PDL of the books and records of Genentech in an effort to ensure a full and fair audit procedure. Finally, the agreement clarifies that the sales amounts from which the royalties are calculated does not include certain taxes and discounts.

The settlement and the related agreements are conditional upon entry of a proposed order dismissing the underlying litigation and

dismissal of the AAA arbitration filed by PDL.

Other Legal Proceedings

In addition, from time to time, we may be subject to various other legal proceedings and claims that arise in the ordinary course of business and which we do not expect to materially impact our financial statements.