| **Organization and Business**            | 12 Months Ended                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             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| **Organization and Business [Abstract]** |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             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| Organization and Business                | 1. Organization and BusinessProgenics Pharmaceuticals, Inc. ("Progenics," "we" or "us") develops innovative medicines for oncology. A significant part of our research and development efforts centers on prostate specific membrane antigen (PSMA), a protein found at high levels on the surface of prostate cancer cells and also on the neovasculature of a number of other types of solid tumors. We are conducting phase 2 clinical trials of two product candidates for prostate cancer: our therapeutic candidate, PSMA ADC, a fully human monoclonal antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) directed toward PSMA, and MIP-1404, an imaging agent candidate in development by Molecular Insight Pharmaceuticals, a clinical-stage biotechnology company we acquired in January 2013 (see Note 15). Among other assets in our pipeline of targeted radiotherapy and molecular imaging compounds from the acquisition are a group of small molecule therapeutics, MIP-1095, -1555 and -1558, in preclinical study for metastatic prostate cancer and other PSMA-expressing cancers, and Azedra™, an ultra-orphan radiotherapy candidate in phase 2 study for pheochromocytoma and potential additional indications.Progenics has developed internally and acquired from research institutions, pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies compounds and technologies which we determine to advance with other parties, including our first commercial drug, Relistor® (methylnaltrexone bromide) subcutaneous injection for the treatment of opioid induced constipation, which we have licensed to Salix Pharmaceuticals, Inc. worldwide other than Japan, where we have licensed the subcutaneous formulation of the drug to Ono Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. In 2012, we out-licensed to MedImmune, LLC our proprietary C. difficile research program for a $5.0 million upfront payment (received in 2013) and the right to receive potential future milestone and royalty payments, and transferred our PRO 140 HIV viral-entry inhibitor to CytoDyn Inc. for $3.5 million cash and the right to receive potential future payments as well. We have recently suspended investment in our proprietary phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) inhibitor research and are evaluating alternative paths forward for this program. We continue to consider opportunities for strategic collaborations, out-licenses and other arrangements with biopharmaceutical companies involving our proprietary research, development and clinical programs, and may in the future also in-license or acquire additional oncology compounds and/or programs.Our current principal sources of revenue from operations are upfront, commercialization milestone, royalty and revenue-sharing payments from Salix's Relistor operations. Royalty and milestone payments from Relistor depend on success in development and commercialization, which is dependent on many factors, such as the actions of Salix and Ono, decisions by the FDA and other regulatory bodies, such as the Complete Response Letter mentioned below, the outcome of clinical and other testing of Relistor, and, to the extent requested by our collaboration partners, our own efforts. We and Salix have sought to expand the availability of subcutaneous Relistor to patients taking opioids for non-cancer pain and who suffer from OIC as a result, and to develop an oral formulation of methylnaltrexone for use by such patients. As previously announced, the FDA in July 2012 issued a Complete Response Letter for the supplemental New Drug Application for Relistor injection for subcutaneous use for the treatment of OIC in adult patients with chronic, non-cancer pain. Salix and Progenics are continuing to work together with the FDA to generate a reasonable path forward for the further development and regulatory review of Relistor, and while is not possible to determine definitively the duration of discussions with the FDA regarding this matter, at this time Salix and Progenics anticipate a path forward could be reached with the FDA during 2013.In 2012, we completed an underwritten public offering of 12,650 shares of common stock at a public offering price of $2.00 per share, resulting in net proceeds of approximately $23.3 million.Progenics commenced principal operations in 1988, became publicly traded in 1997 and throughout has been engaged primarily in research and development efforts, establishing corporate collaborations and related activities. Certain of our intellectual property rights are held by wholly owned subsidiaries. None of our subsidiaries other than PSMA Development Company LLC (PSMA LLC) had operations during 2012, 2011 or 2010. All of our operations are conducted at our facilities in Tarrytown, New York. We operate under a single research and development segment.Funding and Financial Matters. At December 31, 2012, we held $58.8 million in cash and cash equivalents, a decrease of $11.3 million from $70.1 million at December 31, 2011. We expect that this amount will be sufficient to fund operations as currently anticipated beyond one year. We may require additional funding in the future, and if we are unable to conclude favorable collaboration, license, asset sale, capital raising or other financing transactions, we will have to reduce, delay or eliminate spending on some current operations, and/or reduce salary and other overhead expenses, to extend our remaining operations. We expect to incur operating losses during the near term. At December 31, 2012, cash, cash equivalents and auction rate securities decreased $11.3 million to $62.1 million from $73.4 million at December 31, 2011.  In April 2008, our Board of Directors approved a share repurchase program to acquire up to $15.0 million of our outstanding common shares, under which we have $12.3 million remaining available. Purchases may be discontinued at any time. We did not repurchase any common shares during 2012, 2011 and 2010. This program was terminated in March 2013. |

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The entire disclosure for organization, consolidation and basis of presentation of financial statements disclosure.
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