CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS - USD ($)		9 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
		Sep. 30, 2017		Dec. 31, 2016
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents		$ 510,085,000	[1],[2]	$ 147,154,000	[3]
Short-term investments		6,409,000	[1]	19,987,000	[3]
Accounts receivable, net		17,465,000	[1]	40,120,000	[3]
Notes receivable		57,545,000	[1]	111,182,000	[3]
Prepaid and other current assets		9,510,000	[1]	1,704,000	[3]
Total current assets		613,230,000	[1]	398,031,000	[3]
Property and equipment, net		8,130,000	[1]	38,000	[3]
Accounts Receivable, Net, Noncurrent	[1]	1,400,000		0
Investments-other	[1]	0		75,000,000
Inventory, Net	[1]	12,216,000		2,884,000
Royalty rights		351,969,000	[1]	402,318,000	[3]
Notes and other receivables, long-term		13,091,000	[1]	159,768,000	[3]
Long-term deferred tax assets		6,186,000	[1]	19,257,000	[3]
Intangible Assets, Net (Excluding Goodwill)	[1]	222,074,000		228,542,000
Other assets		7,758,000	[1]	7,433,000	[3]
Total assets		1,223,838,000	[1]	1,215,387,000	[3]
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable		10,448,000	[1]	7,016,000	[3]
Accrued liabilities		51,607,000	[1]	30,575,000	[3]
Accrued Income Taxes, Current		7,155,000	[1]	4,723,000	[3]
Anniversary payment	[1]	0		88,001,000
Convertible Notes Payable, Current		124,922,000	[1]	0	[3]
Total current liabilities		194,132,000	[1]	130,315,000	[3]
Convertible notes payable		115,716,000	[1]	232,443,000	[3]
Business Combination, Contingent Consideration, Liability, Noncurrent	[1]	45,000,000		42,650,000
Other long-term liabilities		46,008,000	[1]	54,556,000	[3]
Total liabilities		400,856,000	[1]	459,964,000	[3]
Commitments and contingencies (Note 11)			[1]		[3]
Stockholders' deficit:
Preferred stock, par value $0.01 per share, 10,000 shares authorized; no shares issued and outstanding		0	[1]	0	[3]
Common stock, par value $0.01 per share, 350,000 shares authorized; 154,339 and 165,538 shares issued and outstanding at September 30, 2017 and December 31, 2016, respectively		1,543,000	[1]	1,655,000	[3]
Additional paid-in capital		(102,591,000)	[1]	(107,628,000)	[3]
Accumulated other comprehensive income	[3]			0
Unrealized Gain (Loss) on Investments	[1]	648,000		0
Retained earnings		923,382,000	[1]	857,116,000	[3]
Total PDL’s stockholders’ equity		822,982,000	[1]	751,143,000	[3]
Noncontrolling Interest in Variable Interest Entity		0		4,280,000
Stockholders' Equity, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest		822,982,000		755,423,000
Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity		$ 1,223,838,000	[1]	$ 1,215,387,000	[3]

[1] unaudited

[2] unaudited

[3] Note 1