Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

Sponsored Research and License Agreements (Details)

v2.4.1.9
Sponsored Research and License Agreements (Details) (USD $)
1 Months Ended 3 Months Ended 1 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2015
Mar. 31, 2015
Feb. 28, 2015
bristol-Myers Squibb Company      
Collaborations      
Noncreditable and nonrefundable upfront payment by BMS $ 30,000,000rigl_NonCreditableAndNonRefundableUpfrontPayment
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= rigl_BristolMyersSquibbCompanyMember
   
Deferred revenue related to upfront payment 27,900,000rigl_CollaborativeArrangementDeferredRevenueRelatedToUpfrontPayment
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= rigl_BristolMyersSquibbCompanyMember
27,900,000rigl_CollaborativeArrangementDeferredRevenueRelatedToUpfrontPayment
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= rigl_BristolMyersSquibbCompanyMember
30,000,000rigl_CollaborativeArrangementDeferredRevenueRelatedToUpfrontPayment
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= rigl_BristolMyersSquibbCompanyMember
Revenue recognized   2,100,000rigl_CollaborativeArrangementRevenueRecognized
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= rigl_BristolMyersSquibbCompanyMember
 
bristol-Myers Squibb Company | Research Activities      
Collaborations      
Revenue recognized   106,000rigl_CollaborativeArrangementRevenueRecognized
/ rigl_AchievementOfMilestoneAxis
= rigl_ResearchActivitiesMember
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= rigl_BristolMyersSquibbCompanyMember
 
bristol-Myers Squibb Company | Minimum      
Collaborations      
Contingent payments by BMS     309,000,000rigl_ContingentPaymentsUnderAgreement
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= rigl_BristolMyersSquibbCompanyMember
/ us-gaap_RangeAxis
= us-gaap_MinimumMember
Collaborative Arrangement      
Collaborations      
Maximum amount of contingent payments receivable 453,500,000rigl_CollaborativeArrangementMaximumAmountOfContingentPaymentReceivable
/ us-gaap_TypeOfArrangementAxis
= us-gaap_CollaborativeArrangementMember
453,500,000rigl_CollaborativeArrangementMaximumAmountOfContingentPaymentReceivable
/ us-gaap_TypeOfArrangementAxis
= us-gaap_CollaborativeArrangementMember
 
Collaborative Arrangement | Specified Development Events      
Collaborations      
Maximum amount of contingent payments receivable 140,400,000rigl_CollaborativeArrangementMaximumAmountOfContingentPaymentReceivable
/ rigl_AchievementOfMilestoneAxis
= rigl_SpecifiedDevelopmentEventsMember
/ us-gaap_TypeOfArrangementAxis
= us-gaap_CollaborativeArrangementMember
140,400,000rigl_CollaborativeArrangementMaximumAmountOfContingentPaymentReceivable
/ rigl_AchievementOfMilestoneAxis
= rigl_SpecifiedDevelopmentEventsMember
/ us-gaap_TypeOfArrangementAxis
= us-gaap_CollaborativeArrangementMember
 
Collaborative Arrangement | Specified Regulatory Events      
Collaborations      
Maximum amount of contingent payments receivable 275,600,000rigl_CollaborativeArrangementMaximumAmountOfContingentPaymentReceivable
/ rigl_AchievementOfMilestoneAxis
= rigl_SpecifiedRegulatoryEventsMember
/ us-gaap_TypeOfArrangementAxis
= us-gaap_CollaborativeArrangementMember
275,600,000rigl_CollaborativeArrangementMaximumAmountOfContingentPaymentReceivable
/ rigl_AchievementOfMilestoneAxis
= rigl_SpecifiedRegulatoryEventsMember
/ us-gaap_TypeOfArrangementAxis
= us-gaap_CollaborativeArrangementMember
 
Collaborative Arrangement | Specified Product Launch Events      
Collaborations      
Maximum amount of contingent payments receivable $ 37,500,000rigl_CollaborativeArrangementMaximumAmountOfContingentPaymentReceivable
/ rigl_AchievementOfMilestoneAxis
= rigl_SpecifiedProductLaunchEventsMember
/ us-gaap_TypeOfArrangementAxis
= us-gaap_CollaborativeArrangementMember
$ 37,500,000rigl_CollaborativeArrangementMaximumAmountOfContingentPaymentReceivable
/ rigl_AchievementOfMilestoneAxis
= rigl_SpecifiedProductLaunchEventsMember
/ us-gaap_TypeOfArrangementAxis
= us-gaap_CollaborativeArrangementMember