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Commitments and Contingencies - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $)
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2013
Dec. 31, 2012
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]      
Royalty expense $ 3,400,000us-gaap_DirectOperatingCostRoyaltyExpense $ 4,100,000us-gaap_DirectOperatingCostRoyaltyExpense $ 2,900,000us-gaap_DirectOperatingCostRoyaltyExpense
Purchase commitments related to contract manufacturing, clinical development and certain other items 16,900,000us-gaap_PurchaseCommitmentRemainingMinimumAmountCommitted    
Indemnification Obligation [Member]      
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]      
Indemnification Obligations, liabilities 0us-gaap_LossContingencyAccrualAtCarryingValue
/ us-gaap_LossContingenciesByNatureOfContingencyAxis
= us-gaap_IndemnificationGuaranteeMember
0us-gaap_LossContingencyAccrualAtCarryingValue
/ us-gaap_LossContingenciesByNatureOfContingencyAxis
= us-gaap_IndemnificationGuaranteeMember
 
Securities Related Claims [Member]      
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]      
Obligations under Director and Officer Indemnifications per incident 1,000,000nktr_ObligationsUnderDirectorAndOfficerIndemnificationsPerIncident
/ us-gaap_LossContingenciesByNatureOfContingencyAxis
= nktr_SecuritiesRelatedClaimsMember
   
Non-Securities Related Claims [Member]      
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]      
Obligations under Director and Officer Indemnifications per incident 500,000nktr_ObligationsUnderDirectorAndOfficerIndemnificationsPerIncident
/ us-gaap_LossContingenciesByNatureOfContingencyAxis
= nktr_NonSecuritiesRelatedClaimsMember
   
Merger and Acquisition Related Claims [Member]      
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]      
Obligations under Director and Officer Indemnifications per incident $ 1,500,000nktr_ObligationsUnderDirectorAndOfficerIndemnificationsPerIncident
/ us-gaap_LossContingenciesByNatureOfContingencyAxis
= nktr_MergerAndAcquisitionRelatedClaimsMember