Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

Cash, Cash Equivalents and Short-Term Investments (Details)

v2.4.1.9
Cash, Cash Equivalents and Short-Term Investments (Details) (USD $)
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified
Mar. 31, 2015
Dec. 31, 2014
Mar. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2013
Cash, cash equivalents and short term investments.        
Cash and cash equivalents $ 42,718us-gaap_CashAndCashEquivalentsAtCarryingValue $ 15,203us-gaap_CashAndCashEquivalentsAtCarryingValue $ 14,910us-gaap_CashAndCashEquivalentsAtCarryingValue $ 20,854us-gaap_CashAndCashEquivalentsAtCarryingValue
Short-term investments 118,437us-gaap_ShortTermInvestments 127,956us-gaap_ShortTermInvestments    
Cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments 161,155us-gaap_CashCashEquivalentsAndShortTermInvestments 143,159us-gaap_CashCashEquivalentsAndShortTermInvestments    
Money Market Funds        
Cash, cash equivalents and short term investments.        
Cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments 26,978us-gaap_CashCashEquivalentsAndShortTermInvestments
/ us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis
= us-gaap_MoneyMarketFundsMember
10,027us-gaap_CashCashEquivalentsAndShortTermInvestments
/ us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis
= us-gaap_MoneyMarketFundsMember
   
U S Treasury Securities        
Cash, cash equivalents and short term investments.        
Cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments   2,010us-gaap_CashCashEquivalentsAndShortTermInvestments
/ us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis
= us-gaap_USTreasurySecuritiesMember
   
U S Government Sponsored Enterprises Debt Securities        
Cash, cash equivalents and short term investments.        
Cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments 42,129us-gaap_CashCashEquivalentsAndShortTermInvestments
/ us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis
= us-gaap_USGovernmentSponsoredEnterprisesDebtSecuritiesMember
45,786us-gaap_CashCashEquivalentsAndShortTermInvestments
/ us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis
= us-gaap_USGovernmentSponsoredEnterprisesDebtSecuritiesMember
   
Corporate Bond Securities And Commercial Paper        
Cash, cash equivalents and short term investments.        
Cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments 90,905us-gaap_CashCashEquivalentsAndShortTermInvestments
/ us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis
= rigl_CorporateBondSecuritiesAndCommercialPaperMember
85,161us-gaap_CashCashEquivalentsAndShortTermInvestments
/ us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis
= rigl_CorporateBondSecuritiesAndCommercialPaperMember
   
Demand Deposits        
Cash, cash equivalents and short term investments.        
Cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments $ 1,143us-gaap_CashCashEquivalentsAndShortTermInvestments
/ us-gaap_CashAndCashEquivalentsAxis
= us-gaap_DemandDepositsMember
$ 175us-gaap_CashCashEquivalentsAndShortTermInvestments
/ us-gaap_CashAndCashEquivalentsAxis
= us-gaap_DemandDepositsMember