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Convertible Notes Convertible Notes (Interest Expense for February 2018 Notes) (Detail) (Details) (February 2018 Notes [Member], USD $)
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified
3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2015
Mar. 31, 2014
February 2018 Notes [Member]
   
Debt Instrument [Line Items]    
Contractual coupon interest $ 3,000us-gaap_InterestExpenseDebtExcludingAmortization
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= pdli_February2018NotesMember
$ 1,571us-gaap_InterestExpenseDebtExcludingAmortization
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= pdli_February2018NotesMember
Amortization of debt issuance costs 543pdli_AmortizationOfDebtIssuanceCosts
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= pdli_February2018NotesMember
222pdli_AmortizationOfDebtIssuanceCosts
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= pdli_February2018NotesMember
Amortization of debt discount 1,747us-gaap_AmortizationOfDebtDiscountPremium
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= pdli_February2018NotesMember
671us-gaap_AmortizationOfDebtDiscountPremium
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= pdli_February2018NotesMember
Total $ 5,290us-gaap_InterestExpenseDebt
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= pdli_February2018NotesMember
$ 2,464us-gaap_InterestExpenseDebt
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= pdli_February2018NotesMember