Note 1 - Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Detail)	Mar. 31, 2012
Minimum threshold percent of total royalty income requiring disclosure by licensee by product name (in hundredths)	10.00%

Minimum threshold percent of total royalty income requiring disclosure by licensee by product name.

No definition available.

Name:	pdli_MinimumThresholdPercentOfTotalRoyaltyIncomeRequiringDisclosureByLicenseeByProductNameInHundredths
Namespace Prefix:	pdli_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant