Cash and Investments in Marketable Securities - Cash and Investments in Marketable Securities, Including Cash Equivalents (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Financial Instruments, Financial Assets, Balance Sheet Groupings [Abstract]
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 194,905	$ 4,762
Short-term investments	1,140,445	291,370
Long-term investments	582,889	57,088
Total cash and investments in marketable securities	$ 1,918,239	$ 353,220

Cash, restricted cash, cash equivalents, and available for sale investments.

No definition available.

Name:	nktr_CashRestrictedCashCashEquivalentsAndAvailableForSaleInvestments
Namespace Prefix:	nktr_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of investment in debt security measured at fair value with change in fair value recognized in other comprehensive income (available-for-sale), classified as current.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 320
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 2
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109979856&loc=d3e26626-111562

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesDebtSecuritiesCurrent
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of investment in debt security measured at fair value with change in fair value recognized in net income (available-for-sale), classified as noncurrent.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesDebtSecuritiesNoncurrent
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of currency on hand as well as demand deposits with banks or financial institutions. Includes other kinds of accounts that have the general characteristics of demand deposits. Also includes short-term, highly liquid investments that are both readily convertible to known amounts of cash and so near their maturity that they present insignificant risk of changes in value because of changes in interest rates. Excludes cash and cash equivalents within disposal group and discontinued operation.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 4
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109223946&loc=d3e3044-108585

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=82887183&loc=d3e6676-107765

Reference 3: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.1)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_CashAndCashEquivalentsAtCarryingValue
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- References

No definition available.

+ Details

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