| Pay vs Performance Disclosure - USD ($) | 12 Months Ended |
| Dec. 31, 2022 | Dec. 31, 2021 |
| Pay vs Performance Disclosure [Table] | | |
| Pay vs Performance [Table Text Block] | Year Summary Compensation Table Total for PEO ($) (1)(2) Compensation Actually Paid to PEO ($) (3) Average Summary Compensation Table Total for non-PEO NEOs ($) (1) Average Compensation Actually Paid to non-PEO NEOs ($) (3) Value of Initial Fixed $100 Investment Based On Total Stockholder Return ($) (4) Net Income (loss) ($ in thousands) (5) (a) (b) (c) (d) (e) (f) (g) 2022 4,061,403 (1,719,739) 1,572,368 (313,960) $38.51 172,167 2021 6,026,822 6,554,832 2,203,653 2,312,710 $133.13 (173,236) | |
| Named Executive Officers, Footnote [Text Block] | The PEO for each year reported was Michael A. Sherman. The other non-PEO NEOs, for each year reported are Michael T. Andriole and Allen S. Melemed, M.D., M.B.A | |
| PEO Total Compensation Amount | $ 4,061,403 | $ 6,026,822 |
| PEO Actually Paid Compensation Amount | $ (1,719,739) | 6,554,832 |
| Adjustment To PEO Compensation, Footnote [Text Block] | The dollar amounts reported in column (c) and (e) represent the amount of “compensation actually paid” to Mr. Sherman and the average amount of “compensation actually paid” to our non-PEO NEOs, respectively, as computed in accordance with Item 402(v) of Regulation S-K. The dollar amounts do not reflect the actual amount of compensation earned by or paid to our NEOs during the applicable year. In accordance with the requirements of Item 402(v) of Regulation S-K, the following adjustments were made to the reported total compensation for each year to determine the compensation actually paid: Summary Compensation Table Total PEO Average of Non-PEO NEOs 2022 2021 2022 2021 4,061,403 6,026,822 1,572,368 2,203,653 Deduct: Grant Date Fair Value of Equity Awards as reported in Summary Compensation Table (a) 3,134,228 5,039,625 973,247 1,584,121 Add: Year-End Fair Value of Equity Awards Granted in the Year 959,503 2,599,016 296,076 816,833 Add: Change in Fair Value of Outstanding and Unvested Equity Awards Granted in Prior Fiscal Year (2,315,845) 959,878 (835,737) 264,426 Add: Change in Fair Value of Equity Awards Granted in Prior Years that Vested in the Year (1,676,452) 1,168,477 (492,491) 347,835 Add: Change in Fair Value of Equity Awards Granted and Vested in the Year 385,880 840,264 119,071 264,084 Compensation Actually Paid (b) (1,719,739) 6,554,832 (313,960) 2,312,710 | |
| Non-PEO NEO Average Total Compensation Amount | $ 1,572,368 | 2,203,653 |
| Non-PEO NEO Average Compensation Actually Paid Amount | $ (313,960) | 2,312,710 |
| Adjustment to Non-PEO NEO Compensation Footnote [Text Block] | The dollar amounts reported in column (c) and (e) represent the amount of “compensation actually paid” to Mr. Sherman and the average amount of “compensation actually paid” to our non-PEO NEOs, respectively, as computed in accordance with Item 402(v) of Regulation S-K. The dollar amounts do not reflect the actual amount of compensation earned by or paid to our NEOs during the applicable year. In accordance with the requirements of Item 402(v) of Regulation S-K, the following adjustments were made to the reported total compensation for each year to determine the compensation actually paid: Summary Compensation Table Total PEO Average of Non-PEO NEOs 2022 2021 2022 2021 4,061,403 6,026,822 1,572,368 2,203,653 Deduct: Grant Date Fair Value of Equity Awards as reported in Summary Compensation Table (a) 3,134,228 5,039,625 973,247 1,584,121 Add: Year-End Fair Value of Equity Awards Granted in the Year 959,503 2,599,016 296,076 816,833 Add: Change in Fair Value of Outstanding and Unvested Equity Awards Granted in Prior Fiscal Year (2,315,845) 959,878 (835,737) 264,426 Add: Change in Fair Value of Equity Awards Granted in Prior Years that Vested in the Year (1,676,452) 1,168,477 (492,491) 347,835 Add: Change in Fair Value of Equity Awards Granted and Vested in the Year 385,880 840,264 119,071 264,084 Compensation Actually Paid (b) (1,719,739) 6,554,832 (313,960) 2,312,710 | |
| Compensation Actually Paid vs. Total Shareholder Return [Text Block] | COMPENSATION ACTUALLY PAID VS COMPANY TSR | |
| Compensation Actually Paid vs. Net Income [Text Block] | COMPENSATION ACTUALLY PAID VS NET INCOME | |
| Total Shareholder Return Amount | $ 38.51 | 133.13 |
| Net Income (Loss) | $ 172,167,000 | (173,236,000) |
| PEO Name | Michael A. Sherman | |
| Additional 402(v) Disclosure [Text Block] | The amounts reported in column (b) are the amounts of total compensation reported for our PEO for each corresponding year in the “Total” column of the Summary Compensation Table. Refer to “Executive Compensation—Summary Compensation Table.”The grant date fair value of equity awards represents the total of the amounts reported in the “Option Awards” column in the Summary Compensation Table for the applicable year. (b) Amount of equity award adjustments may differ from amount reported in the table above due to rounding. (5) Net income (loss) attributable to Chimerix as reported in the Company’s consolidated financial statements for the applicable year. | |
| PEO [Member] | Deduct Grant Date Fair Value Of Equity Awards As Reported In Summary Compensation Table [Member] | | |
| Pay vs Performance Disclosure [Table] | | |
| Adjustment to Compensation Amount | $ 3,134,228 | 5,039,625 |
| PEO [Member] | Add Year End Fair Value Of Equity Awards Granted In The Year [Member] | | |
| Pay vs Performance Disclosure [Table] | | |
| Adjustment to Compensation Amount | 959,503 | 2,599,016 |
| PEO [Member] | Add Change In Fair Value Of Outstanding And Unvested Equity Awards Granted In Prior Fiscal Year [Member] | | |
| Pay vs Performance Disclosure [Table] | | |
| Adjustment to Compensation Amount | (2,315,845) | 959,878 |
| PEO [Member] | Add Change In Fair Value Of Equity Awards Granted In Prior Years That Vested In The Year [Member] | | |
| Pay vs Performance Disclosure [Table] | | |
| Adjustment to Compensation Amount | (1,676,452) | 1,168,477 |
| PEO [Member] | Add Change In Fair Value Of Equity Awards Granted And Vested In The Year [Member] | | |
| Pay vs Performance Disclosure [Table] | | |
| Adjustment to Compensation Amount | 385,880 | 840,264 |
| Non-PEO NEO [Member] | Deduct Grant Date Fair Value Of Equity Awards As Reported In Summary Compensation Table [Member] | | |
| Pay vs Performance Disclosure [Table] | | |
| Adjustment to Compensation Amount | 973,247 | 1,584,121 |
| Non-PEO NEO [Member] | Add Year End Fair Value Of Equity Awards Granted In The Year [Member] | | |
| Pay vs Performance Disclosure [Table] | | |
| Adjustment to Compensation Amount | 296,076 | 816,833 |
| Non-PEO NEO [Member] | Add Change In Fair Value Of Outstanding And Unvested Equity Awards Granted In Prior Fiscal Year [Member] | | |
| Pay vs Performance Disclosure [Table] | | |
| Adjustment to Compensation Amount | (835,737) | 264,426 |
| Non-PEO NEO [Member] | Add Change In Fair Value Of Equity Awards Granted In Prior Years That Vested In The Year [Member] | | |
| Pay vs Performance Disclosure [Table] | | |
| Adjustment to Compensation Amount | (492,491) | 347,835 |
| Non-PEO NEO [Member] | Add Change In Fair Value Of Equity Awards Granted And Vested In The Year [Member] | | |
| Pay vs Performance Disclosure [Table] | | |
| Adjustment to Compensation Amount | $ 119,071 | $ 264,084 |
