Property, Plant and Equipment - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Depreciation expense	$ 11.7us-gaap_Depreciation	$ 13.0us-gaap_Depreciation	$ 13.8us-gaap_Depreciation
Obligation related to purchase of equipment	7.2us-gaap_PurchaseObligation
Obligation related to purchase of equipment liability payable term	3 years
Land and Building [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Impairment charge			$ 1.7

Equipment Purchase Obligation Payable Term

No definition available.

Name:	nktr_EquipmentPurchaseObligationPayableTerm
Namespace Prefix:	nktr_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The amount of expense recognized in the current period that reflects the allocation of the cost of tangible assets over the assets' useful lives. Includes production and non-production related depreciation.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 230

-SubTopic 10

-Section 45

-Paragraph 28

-Subparagraph (b)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=31042434&loc=d3e3602-108585

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_Depreciation
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Loss recognized as a result of the initial and subsequent write-down of a long-lived asset's carrying amount to fair value.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 360

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 2

-Subparagraph (b)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6391110&loc=d3e2921-110230

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ImpairedAssetsToBeDisposedOfByMethodOtherThanSaleAmountOfImpairmentLoss
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Minimum amount of purchase arrangement in which the entity has agreed to expend funds to procure goods or services from a supplier.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_PurchaseObligation
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis=us-gaap_LandAndBuildingMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: