Summary of Significant Accounting Policies - Additional Information (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Thousands | 1 Months Ended | 3 Months Ended | 9 Months Ended | | | |
Feb. 28, 2018 | Aug. 31, 2016 | May 31, 2014 | Sep. 30, 2018 | Sep. 30, 2017 | Sep. 30, 2018 | Sep. 30, 2017 | Mar. 31, 2018 | Jan. 01, 2018 | Dec. 31, 2017 |
Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items] | | | | | | | | | | |
Retained earnings (accumulated deficit) | | | | $ (304,884) | | $ (304,884) | | | | $ (254,062) |
Collaboration and license revenue | | | | $ 833 | $ 463 | $ 1,542 | $ 1,388 | | | |
Type of Revenue [Extensible List] | | | | us-gaap:LicenseAndServiceMember | us-gaap:LicenseAndServiceMember | us-gaap:LicenseAndServiceMember | us-gaap:LicenseAndServiceMember | | | |
Editas Medicine Inc [Member] | | | | | | | | | | |
Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items] | | | | | | | | | | |
Initial payments received | $ 500 | | | | | | | | | |
Collaboration and license revenue | | | | $ 600 | | $ 1,300 | | | | |
Type of Revenue [Extensible List] | | | | us-gaap:LicenseAndServiceMember | | us-gaap:LicenseAndServiceMember | | | | |
Deferred revenue, current portion | | | | $ 100 | | $ 100 | | | | |
Revenue recognition, expected time period | | | | 1 month | | 1 month | | | | |
Regeneron Corporation [Member] | | | | | | | | | | |
Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items] | | | | | | | | | | |
Deferred revenue | | | | $ 0 | | $ 0 | | $ 0 | | |
Accounting Standards Update 2014-09 [Member] | Editas Medicine Inc [Member] | | | | | | | | | | |
Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items] | | | | | | | | | | |
Initial payments received | $ 500 | | | | | | | | | |
Collaboration and license revenue | | | | $ 600 | | $ 1,300 | | | | |
Type of Revenue [Extensible List] | | | | us-gaap:LicenseAndServiceMember | | us-gaap:LicenseAndServiceMember | | | | |
Deferred revenue, current portion | | | | $ 100 | | $ 100 | | | | |
Revenue recognition, expected time period | | | | 1 month | | 1 month | | | | |
Accounting Standards Update 2014-09 [Member] | Upfront Payment Arrangement [Member] | Editas Medicine Inc [Member] | | | | | | | | | | |
Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items] | | | | | | | | | | |
Deferred revenue | | $ 1,000 | | | | | | | | |
Initial payments received | | $ 1,000 | | | | | | | | |
Accounting Standards Update 2014-09 [Member] | Regeneron Corporation [Member] | Upfront Payment Arrangement [Member] | | | | | | | | | | |
Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items] | | | | | | | | | | |
Deferred revenue | | | $ 8,000 | | | | | | | |
Initial payments received | | | $ 8,000 | | | | | | | |
Difference between Revenue Guidance in Effect before and after Topic 606 [Member] | Accounting Standards Update 2014-09 [Member] | | | | | | | | | | |
Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items] | | | | | | | | | | |
Retained earnings (accumulated deficit) | | | | | | | | | $ 6,100 | |
Deferred revenue | | | | | | | | | $ (6,100) | |
Difference between Revenue Guidance in Effect before and after Topic 606 [Member] | Accounting Standards Update 2014-09 [Member] | Editas Medicine Inc [Member] | | | | | | | | | | |
Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items] | | | | | | | | | | |
Retained earnings (accumulated deficit) | | | | | | | | (400) | | |
Deferred revenue | | | | | | | | 400 | | |
Difference between Revenue Guidance in Effect before and after Topic 606 [Member] | Accounting Standards Update 2014-09 [Member] | Regeneron Corporation [Member] | | | | | | | | | | |
Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items] | | | | | | | | | | |
Retained earnings (accumulated deficit) | | | | | | | | 6,500 | | |
Deferred revenue | | | | | | | | $ (6,500) | | |
Calculated under Revenue Guidance in Effect before Topic 606 [Member] | Editas Medicine Inc [Member] | | | | | | | | | | |
Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items] | | | | | | | | | | |
Collaboration and license revenue | | | | $ 500 | | $ 1,600 | | | | |
Type of Revenue [Extensible List] | | | | us-gaap:LicenseAndServiceMember | | us-gaap:LicenseAndServiceMember | | | | |
Calculated under Revenue Guidance in Effect before Topic 606 [Member] | GenSight Biologics [Member] | License Agreement [Member] | | | | | | | | | | |
Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items] | | | | | | | | | | |
Collaboration and license revenue | | | | $ 200 | | | | | | |
Calculated under Revenue Guidance in Effect before Topic 606 [Member] | Accounting Standards Update 2014-09 [Member] | Editas Medicine Inc [Member] | | | | | | | | | | |
Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items] | | | | | | | | | | |
Deferred revenue | | | | | | | | | | 500 |
Calculated under Revenue Guidance in Effect before Topic 606 [Member] | Accounting Standards Update 2014-09 [Member] | Regeneron Corporation [Member] | | | | | | | | | | |
Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items] | | | | | | | | | | |
Deferred revenue | | | | | | | | | | $ 6,500 |