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Cash and Investments in Marketable Securities - Portfolio of Cash and Investments in Marketable Securities (Detail) (USD $)
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified
Dec. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2013
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]    
Available-for-sale investments $ 225,459us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecurities $ 197,959us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecurities
Cash, including restricted cash 26,136nktr_CashAndRestrictedCash 37,614nktr_CashAndRestrictedCash
Total cash and investments in marketable securities 262,824nktr_CashRestrictedCashCashEquivalentsAndAvailableForSaleInvestments 262,026nktr_CashRestrictedCashCashEquivalentsAndAvailableForSaleInvestments
Corporate Notes and Bonds [Member] | Fair Value Hierarchy Level 2 [Member]    
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]    
Available-for-sale investments 182,544us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecurities
/ us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel2Member
/ us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis
= us-gaap_CorporateDebtSecuritiesMember
138,515us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecurities
/ us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel2Member
/ us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis
= us-gaap_CorporateDebtSecuritiesMember
Corporate Commercial Paper [Member] | Fair Value Hierarchy Level 2 [Member]    
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]    
Available-for-sale investments 42,915us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecurities
/ us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel2Member
/ us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis
= nktr_CorporateCommercialPaperMember
59,444us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecurities
/ us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel2Member
/ us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis
= nktr_CorporateCommercialPaperMember
Money Market Funds [Member] | Fair Value Hierarchy Level 1 [Member]    
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]    
Money market funds $ 11,229us-gaap_InvestmentsFairValueDisclosure
/ us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel1Member
/ us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis
= us-gaap_MoneyMarketFundsMember
$ 26,453us-gaap_InvestmentsFairValueDisclosure
/ us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel1Member
/ us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis
= us-gaap_MoneyMarketFundsMember