Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

Capital Stock, Other Offerings and Agreements (Details)

v2.4.1.9
Capital Stock, Other Offerings and Agreements (Details) (USD $)
0 Months Ended 1 Months Ended 12 Months Ended 1 Months Ended 11 Months Ended 0 Months Ended 1 Months Ended
Mar. 09, 2012
May 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2013
Dec. 31, 2012
Jun. 30, 2009
Dec. 31, 2011
Dec. 08, 2014
Dec. 31, 2013
Aug. 31, 2013
Oct. 31, 2012
Feb. 28, 2010
Aug. 23, 2013
Oct. 29, 2012
Registered Direct Offerings and Underwritten Offering [Abstract]                            
Capital units issued upon the underwriters 30-day over-allotment option (in shares)       1,425,000xoma_CapitalUnitsIssuedUponTheUnderwritersAllotmentOption         1,425,000xoma_CapitalUnitsIssuedUponTheUnderwritersAllotmentOption          
Offering expense $ 3,000,000xoma_OfferingCosts                          
Offering price (in dollars per share)               $ 4.94us-gaap_SharePrice            
Common stock, shares authorized (in shares)   277,333,332us-gaap_CommonStockSharesAuthorized 277,333,332us-gaap_CommonStockSharesAuthorized 138,666,666us-gaap_CommonStockSharesAuthorized         138,666,666us-gaap_CommonStockSharesAuthorized          
Common stock, par value (in dollars per share)   $ 0.0075us-gaap_CommonStockParOrStatedValuePerShare $ 0.0075us-gaap_CommonStockParOrStatedValuePerShare $ 0.0075us-gaap_CommonStockParOrStatedValuePerShare         $ 0.0075us-gaap_CommonStockParOrStatedValuePerShare          
Additional common shares authorized for issuance (in shares)   138,666,666xoma_NumberOfAdditionalCommonSharesAuthorizedForIssuance                        
ATM Agreement [Abstract]                            
Proceeds from issuance of common stock     41,442,000us-gaap_ProceedsFromIssuanceOfCommonStock 84,338,000us-gaap_ProceedsFromIssuanceOfCommonStock 76,498,000us-gaap_ProceedsFromIssuanceOfCommonStock                  
Registered Direct Offerings [Member]                            
Registered Direct Offerings and Underwritten Offering [Abstract]                            
Capital units issued (in shares)           695,652xoma_CapitalUnitsIssued
/ us-gaap_StatementScenarioAxis
= xoma_RegisteredDirectOfferingsMember
               
Common stock per capital unit (in shares)           1xoma_CapitalUnitsIssuedCommonShareComponent
/ us-gaap_StatementScenarioAxis
= xoma_RegisteredDirectOfferingsMember
               
Common stock per capital unit called by stock warrant (in shares)           0.50xoma_CapitalUnitsIssuedCommonShareComponentCalledByWarrantExercisable
/ us-gaap_StatementScenarioAxis
= xoma_RegisteredDirectOfferingsMember
               
Gross proceeds from issuance of capital units           12,000,000xoma_GrossProceedsFromIssuanceOfCapitalUnits
/ us-gaap_StatementScenarioAxis
= xoma_RegisteredDirectOfferingsMember
               
Offering expense           800,000xoma_OfferingCosts
/ us-gaap_StatementScenarioAxis
= xoma_RegisteredDirectOfferingsMember
               
Purchase price of capital units (in dollars per share)           $ 17.25xoma_CapitalUnitsIssuedPricePerUnit
/ us-gaap_StatementScenarioAxis
= xoma_RegisteredDirectOfferingsMember
               
Number of shares called by warrants (in shares)           347,826us-gaap_ClassOfWarrantOrRightNumberOfSecuritiesCalledByWarrantsOrRights
/ us-gaap_StatementScenarioAxis
= xoma_RegisteredDirectOfferingsMember
               
Exercise price of warrants (in dollars per share)           $ 19.50us-gaap_ClassOfWarrantOrRightExercisePriceOfWarrantsOrRights1
/ us-gaap_StatementScenarioAxis
= xoma_RegisteredDirectOfferingsMember
               
2011 ATM Agreement [Member]                            
ATM Agreement [Abstract]                            
Common stock sold (in shares)       0us-gaap_StockIssuedDuringPeriodSharesNewIssues
/ us-gaap_StatementScenarioAxis
= xoma_AtmAgreement3Member
    7,572,327us-gaap_StockIssuedDuringPeriodSharesNewIssues
/ us-gaap_StatementScenarioAxis
= xoma_AtmAgreement3Member
             
Sales commission paid per transaction (in hundredths)             3.00%xoma_PercentageOfGrossProceedsPaidToAgentForSaleOfCommonShares
/ us-gaap_StatementScenarioAxis
= xoma_AtmAgreement3Member
             
Proceeds from issuance of common stock       500,000us-gaap_ProceedsFromIssuanceOfCommonStock
/ us-gaap_StatementScenarioAxis
= xoma_AtmAgreement3Member
    14,600,000us-gaap_ProceedsFromIssuanceOfCommonStock
/ us-gaap_StatementScenarioAxis
= xoma_AtmAgreement3Member
             
Underwritten Offering [Member]                            
Registered Direct Offerings and Underwritten Offering [Abstract]                            
Capital units issued (in shares) 29,669,154xoma_CapitalUnitsIssued
/ us-gaap_StatementScenarioAxis
= xoma_UnderwrittenOfferingMember
    10,925,000xoma_CapitalUnitsIssued
/ us-gaap_StatementScenarioAxis
= xoma_UnderwrittenOfferingMember
        10,925,000xoma_CapitalUnitsIssued
/ us-gaap_StatementScenarioAxis
= xoma_UnderwrittenOfferingMember
    2,800,000xoma_CapitalUnitsIssued
/ us-gaap_StatementScenarioAxis
= xoma_UnderwrittenOfferingMember
8,736,187xoma_CapitalUnitsIssued
/ us-gaap_StatementScenarioAxis
= xoma_UnderwrittenOfferingMember
13,333,333xoma_CapitalUnitsIssued
/ us-gaap_StatementScenarioAxis
= xoma_UnderwrittenOfferingMember
Capital units issued upon the underwriters 30-day over-allotment option (in shares)                         1,139,502xoma_CapitalUnitsIssuedUponTheUnderwritersAllotmentOption
/ us-gaap_StatementScenarioAxis
= xoma_UnderwrittenOfferingMember
 
Common stock per capital unit (in shares) 0.5xoma_CapitalUnitsIssuedCommonShareComponent
/ us-gaap_StatementScenarioAxis
= xoma_UnderwrittenOfferingMember
            1xoma_CapitalUnitsIssuedCommonShareComponent
/ us-gaap_StatementScenarioAxis
= xoma_UnderwrittenOfferingMember
      1xoma_CapitalUnitsIssuedCommonShareComponent
/ us-gaap_StatementScenarioAxis
= xoma_UnderwrittenOfferingMember
   
Common stock per capital unit called by stock warrant (in shares)                       0.45xoma_CapitalUnitsIssuedCommonShareComponentCalledByWarrantExercisable
/ us-gaap_StatementScenarioAxis
= xoma_UnderwrittenOfferingMember
   
Gross proceeds from issuance of capital units 39,200,000xoma_GrossProceedsFromIssuanceOfCapitalUnits
/ us-gaap_StatementScenarioAxis
= xoma_UnderwrittenOfferingMember
            40,000,000xoma_GrossProceedsFromIssuanceOfCapitalUnits
/ us-gaap_StatementScenarioAxis
= xoma_UnderwrittenOfferingMember
57,400,000xoma_GrossProceedsFromIssuanceOfCapitalUnits
/ us-gaap_StatementScenarioAxis
= xoma_UnderwrittenOfferingMember
31,600,000xoma_GrossProceedsFromIssuanceOfCapitalUnits
/ us-gaap_StatementScenarioAxis
= xoma_UnderwrittenOfferingMember
40,000,000xoma_GrossProceedsFromIssuanceOfCapitalUnits
/ us-gaap_StatementScenarioAxis
= xoma_UnderwrittenOfferingMember
21,000,000xoma_GrossProceedsFromIssuanceOfCapitalUnits
/ us-gaap_StatementScenarioAxis
= xoma_UnderwrittenOfferingMember
   
Offering expense               $ 2,300,000xoma_OfferingCosts
/ us-gaap_StatementScenarioAxis
= xoma_UnderwrittenOfferingMember
$ 3,800,000xoma_OfferingCosts
/ us-gaap_StatementScenarioAxis
= xoma_UnderwrittenOfferingMember
$ 2,200,000xoma_OfferingCosts
/ us-gaap_StatementScenarioAxis
= xoma_UnderwrittenOfferingMember
$ 3,000,000xoma_OfferingCosts
/ us-gaap_StatementScenarioAxis
= xoma_UnderwrittenOfferingMember
     
Purchase price of capital units (in dollars per share) $ 1.32xoma_CapitalUnitsIssuedPricePerUnit
/ us-gaap_StatementScenarioAxis
= xoma_UnderwrittenOfferingMember
    $ 5.25xoma_CapitalUnitsIssuedPricePerUnit
/ us-gaap_StatementScenarioAxis
= xoma_UnderwrittenOfferingMember
        $ 5.25xoma_CapitalUnitsIssuedPricePerUnit
/ us-gaap_StatementScenarioAxis
= xoma_UnderwrittenOfferingMember
      $ 3.62xoma_CapitalUnitsIssuedPricePerUnit
/ us-gaap_StatementScenarioAxis
= xoma_UnderwrittenOfferingMember
$ 3.00xoma_CapitalUnitsIssuedPricePerUnit
/ us-gaap_StatementScenarioAxis
= xoma_UnderwrittenOfferingMember
Number of shares called by warrants (in shares) 14,834,577us-gaap_ClassOfWarrantOrRightNumberOfSecuritiesCalledByWarrantsOrRights
/ us-gaap_StatementScenarioAxis
= xoma_UnderwrittenOfferingMember
                         
Immediate term for warrants exercisable (in years) 5 years             2 years            
Exercise price of warrants (in dollars per share) $ 1.76us-gaap_ClassOfWarrantOrRightExercisePriceOfWarrantsOrRights1
/ us-gaap_StatementScenarioAxis
= xoma_UnderwrittenOfferingMember
            $ 7.90us-gaap_ClassOfWarrantOrRightExercisePriceOfWarrantsOrRights1
/ us-gaap_StatementScenarioAxis
= xoma_UnderwrittenOfferingMember
           
Period to purchase additional stock                 30 days 30 days        
Warrant outstanding (in shares) 12,109,418us-gaap_ClassOfWarrantOrRightOutstanding
/ us-gaap_StatementScenarioAxis
= xoma_UnderwrittenOfferingMember
            8,097,165us-gaap_ClassOfWarrantOrRightOutstanding
/ us-gaap_StatementScenarioAxis
= xoma_UnderwrittenOfferingMember