Segment Information (Details) $ in Thousands		3 Months Ended			6 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2022 segment	Jun. 30, 2022 USD ($)	Mar. 22, 2022 segment	Jun. 30, 2021 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2022 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2021 USD ($)
Segment Reporting [Abstract]
Number of reportable segments | segment	2		1
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Total revenue		$ 57,419		$ 84,675	$ 103,112	$ 139,825
Total segment operating income		(636)		33,301	(20,776)	39,065
Total operating costs and expenses		57,888		38,936	112,887	89,371
Income (loss) from operations		(469)		45,739	(9,775)	50,454
Operating Segments
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Total revenue		57,419		84,675	103,112	139,825
Total segment operating income		8,041		54,028	11,843	67,870
Corporate, Non-Segment
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Shared-based compensation		5,136		5,748	10,793	10,618
Other corporate expenses		3,374		2,541	10,825	6,798
Total operating costs and expenses		8,510		8,289	21,618	17,416
Royalties
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Total revenue		17,959		8,616	31,654	15,728
Captisol - Core
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Total revenue		3,325		9,682	9,551	10,935
Captisol - COVID
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Total revenue		26,220		52,827	32,116	82,846
Contract
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Total revenue		9,915		13,550	29,791	30,316
OmniAb Technologies | Operating Segments
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Total revenue		7,292		5,821	16,470	14,380
Total segment operating income		(8,998)		(7,806)	(15,187)	(12,410)
OmniAb Technologies | Royalties | Operating Segments
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Total revenue		139		0	402	0
OmniAb Technologies | Contract | Operating Segments
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Total revenue		7,153		5,821	16,068	14,380
Ligand Core Business | Operating Segments
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Total revenue		50,127		78,854	86,642	125,445
Total segment operating income		17,039		61,834	27,030	80,280
Ligand Core Business | Royalties | Operating Segments
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Total revenue		17,820		8,616	31,252	15,728
Ligand Core Business | Contract | Operating Segments
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Total revenue		$ 2,762		$ 7,729	$ 13,723	$ 15,936