<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>

<!--XBRL Document Created with the Workiva Platform-->
<!--Copyright 2026 Workiva-->
<!--r:01a0c621-4ce4-7898-a70f-3c086505def8,g:c4a70772-e3f1-41a6-b468-68469db129bd-->
<link:linkbase xmlns:link="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/linkbase" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" xsi:schemaLocation="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/linkbase http://www.xbrl.org/2003/xbrl-linkbase-2003-12-31.xsd">
  <link:roleRef roleURI="http://www.ligand.com/role/CoverPage" xlink:type="simple" xlink:href="lgnd-20260922.xsd#CoverPage"/>
  <link:presentationLink xlink:role="http://www.ligand.com/role/CoverPage" xlink:type="extended">
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_CoverAbstract_01a0c621-4ce4-75a0-8b8f-07d566b5fc7c" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2025/dei-2025.xsd#dei_CoverAbstract"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_EntityCentralIndexKey_01a0c621-4ce4-71af-aca2-3f9b4479bc87" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2025/dei-2025.xsd#dei_EntityCentralIndexKey"/>
    <link:presentationArc order="1" xlink:arcrole="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/arcrole/parent-child" xlink:from="loc_dei_CoverAbstract_01a0c621-4ce4-75a0-8b8f-07d566b5fc7c" xlink:to="loc_dei_EntityCentralIndexKey_01a0c621-4ce4-71af-aca2-3f9b4479bc87" xlink:type="arc" preferredLabel="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/terseLabel"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_AmendmentFlag_01a0c621-4ce4-7075-9acf-651e5f26f2e9" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2025/dei-2025.xsd#dei_AmendmentFlag"/>
    <link:presentationArc order="2" xlink:arcrole="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/arcrole/parent-child" xlink:from="loc_dei_CoverAbstract_01a0c621-4ce4-75a0-8b8f-07d566b5fc7c" xlink:to="loc_dei_AmendmentFlag_01a0c621-4ce4-7075-9acf-651e5f26f2e9" xlink:type="arc" preferredLabel="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/terseLabel"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_DocumentType_01a0c621-4ce4-71ec-bcbe-d224918cb1d7" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2025/dei-2025.xsd#dei_DocumentType"/>
    <link:presentationArc order="3" xlink:arcrole="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/arcrole/parent-child" xlink:from="loc_dei_CoverAbstract_01a0c621-4ce4-75a0-8b8f-07d566b5fc7c" xlink:to="loc_dei_DocumentType_01a0c621-4ce4-71ec-bcbe-d224918cb1d7" xlink:type="arc" preferredLabel="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/terseLabel"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_DocumentPeriodEndDate_01a0c621-4ce4-7d4c-a4d9-b3ca843c46b2" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2025/dei-2025.xsd#dei_DocumentPeriodEndDate"/>
    <link:presentationArc order="4" xlink:arcrole="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/arcrole/parent-child" xlink:from="loc_dei_CoverAbstract_01a0c621-4ce4-75a0-8b8f-07d566b5fc7c" xlink:to="loc_dei_DocumentPeriodEndDate_01a0c621-4ce4-7d4c-a4d9-b3ca843c46b2" xlink:type="arc" preferredLabel="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/terseLabel"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_EntityRegistrantName_01a0c621-4ce4-7a5f-bd40-f9487a84b3df" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2025/dei-2025.xsd#dei_EntityRegistrantName"/>
    <link:presentationArc order="5" xlink:arcrole="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/arcrole/parent-child" xlink:from="loc_dei_CoverAbstract_01a0c621-4ce4-75a0-8b8f-07d566b5fc7c" xlink:to="loc_dei_EntityRegistrantName_01a0c621-4ce4-7a5f-bd40-f9487a84b3df" xlink:type="arc" preferredLabel="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/terseLabel"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_EntityIncorporationStateCountryCode_01a0c621-4ce4-7c7d-9b6d-0daf0fb4ade7" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2025/dei-2025.xsd#dei_EntityIncorporationStateCountryCode"/>
    <link:presentationArc order="6" xlink:arcrole="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/arcrole/parent-child" xlink:from="loc_dei_CoverAbstract_01a0c621-4ce4-75a0-8b8f-07d566b5fc7c" xlink:to="loc_dei_EntityIncorporationStateCountryCode_01a0c621-4ce4-7c7d-9b6d-0daf0fb4ade7" xlink:type="arc" preferredLabel="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/terseLabel"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_EntityFileNumber_01a0c621-4ce4-7a58-8517-5bf593975911" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2025/dei-2025.xsd#dei_EntityFileNumber"/>
    <link:presentationArc order="7" xlink:arcrole="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/arcrole/parent-child" xlink:from="loc_dei_CoverAbstract_01a0c621-4ce4-75a0-8b8f-07d566b5fc7c" xlink:to="loc_dei_EntityFileNumber_01a0c621-4ce4-7a58-8517-5bf593975911" xlink:type="arc" preferredLabel="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/terseLabel"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_EntityTaxIdentificationNumber_01a0c621-4ce4-7f10-a97f-5716b9fc434c" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2025/dei-2025.xsd#dei_EntityTaxIdentificationNumber"/>
    <link:presentationArc order="8" xlink:arcrole="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/arcrole/parent-child" xlink:from="loc_dei_CoverAbstract_01a0c621-4ce4-75a0-8b8f-07d566b5fc7c" xlink:to="loc_dei_EntityTaxIdentificationNumber_01a0c621-4ce4-7f10-a97f-5716b9fc434c" xlink:type="arc" preferredLabel="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/terseLabel"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_EntityAddressAddressLine1_01a0c621-4ce4-757d-a3e7-64084504f4e8" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2025/dei-2025.xsd#dei_EntityAddressAddressLine1"/>
    <link:presentationArc order="9" xlink:arcrole="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/arcrole/parent-child" xlink:from="loc_dei_CoverAbstract_01a0c621-4ce4-75a0-8b8f-07d566b5fc7c" xlink:to="loc_dei_EntityAddressAddressLine1_01a0c621-4ce4-757d-a3e7-64084504f4e8" xlink:type="arc" preferredLabel="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/terseLabel"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_EntityAddressCityOrTown_01a0c621-4ce4-792c-8b02-a36c11ec5595" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2025/dei-2025.xsd#dei_EntityAddressCityOrTown"/>
    <link:presentationArc order="10" xlink:arcrole="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/arcrole/parent-child" xlink:from="loc_dei_CoverAbstract_01a0c621-4ce4-75a0-8b8f-07d566b5fc7c" xlink:to="loc_dei_EntityAddressCityOrTown_01a0c621-4ce4-792c-8b02-a36c11ec5595" xlink:type="arc" preferredLabel="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/terseLabel"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_EntityAddressStateOrProvince_01a0c621-4ce4-7db1-9a68-a7b5e7a103b4" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2025/dei-2025.xsd#dei_EntityAddressStateOrProvince"/>
    <link:presentationArc order="11" xlink:arcrole="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/arcrole/parent-child" xlink:from="loc_dei_CoverAbstract_01a0c621-4ce4-75a0-8b8f-07d566b5fc7c" xlink:to="loc_dei_EntityAddressStateOrProvince_01a0c621-4ce4-7db1-9a68-a7b5e7a103b4" xlink:type="arc" preferredLabel="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/terseLabel"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_EntityAddressPostalZipCode_01a0c621-4ce4-7334-88b9-9d372abf9afe" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2025/dei-2025.xsd#dei_EntityAddressPostalZipCode"/>
    <link:presentationArc order="12" xlink:arcrole="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/arcrole/parent-child" xlink:from="loc_dei_CoverAbstract_01a0c621-4ce4-75a0-8b8f-07d566b5fc7c" xlink:to="loc_dei_EntityAddressPostalZipCode_01a0c621-4ce4-7334-88b9-9d372abf9afe" xlink:type="arc" preferredLabel="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/terseLabel"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_CityAreaCode_01a0c621-4ce4-7755-a8d1-45582853514d" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2025/dei-2025.xsd#dei_CityAreaCode"/>
    <link:presentationArc order="13" xlink:arcrole="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/arcrole/parent-child" xlink:from="loc_dei_CoverAbstract_01a0c621-4ce4-75a0-8b8f-07d566b5fc7c" xlink:to="loc_dei_CityAreaCode_01a0c621-4ce4-7755-a8d1-45582853514d" xlink:type="arc" preferredLabel="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/terseLabel"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_LocalPhoneNumber_01a0c621-4ce4-7f00-9ede-4f56558b6d4f" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2025/dei-2025.xsd#dei_LocalPhoneNumber"/>
    <link:presentationArc order="14" xlink:arcrole="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/arcrole/parent-child" xlink:from="loc_dei_CoverAbstract_01a0c621-4ce4-75a0-8b8f-07d566b5fc7c" xlink:to="loc_dei_LocalPhoneNumber_01a0c621-4ce4-7f00-9ede-4f56558b6d4f" xlink:type="arc" preferredLabel="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/terseLabel"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_WrittenCommunications_01a0c621-4ce4-73bb-8c0b-9252522ce6ed" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2025/dei-2025.xsd#dei_WrittenCommunications"/>
    <link:presentationArc order="15" xlink:arcrole="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/arcrole/parent-child" xlink:from="loc_dei_CoverAbstract_01a0c621-4ce4-75a0-8b8f-07d566b5fc7c" xlink:to="loc_dei_WrittenCommunications_01a0c621-4ce4-73bb-8c0b-9252522ce6ed" xlink:type="arc" preferredLabel="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/terseLabel"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_SolicitingMaterial_01a0c621-4ce4-7e05-b213-f85211b76854" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2025/dei-2025.xsd#dei_SolicitingMaterial"/>
    <link:presentationArc order="16" xlink:arcrole="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/arcrole/parent-child" xlink:from="loc_dei_CoverAbstract_01a0c621-4ce4-75a0-8b8f-07d566b5fc7c" xlink:to="loc_dei_SolicitingMaterial_01a0c621-4ce4-7e05-b213-f85211b76854" xlink:type="arc" preferredLabel="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/terseLabel"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_PreCommencementTenderOffer_01a0c621-4ce4-70b8-bd66-e47cd34ba194" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2025/dei-2025.xsd#dei_PreCommencementTenderOffer"/>
    <link:presentationArc order="17" xlink:arcrole="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/arcrole/parent-child" xlink:from="loc_dei_CoverAbstract_01a0c621-4ce4-75a0-8b8f-07d566b5fc7c" xlink:to="loc_dei_PreCommencementTenderOffer_01a0c621-4ce4-70b8-bd66-e47cd34ba194" xlink:type="arc" preferredLabel="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/terseLabel"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_PreCommencementIssuerTenderOffer_01a0c621-4ce4-7cfe-b344-32d65e38ff10" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2025/dei-2025.xsd#dei_PreCommencementIssuerTenderOffer"/>
    <link:presentationArc order="18" xlink:arcrole="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/arcrole/parent-child" xlink:from="loc_dei_CoverAbstract_01a0c621-4ce4-75a0-8b8f-07d566b5fc7c" xlink:to="loc_dei_PreCommencementIssuerTenderOffer_01a0c621-4ce4-7cfe-b344-32d65e38ff10" xlink:type="arc" preferredLabel="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/terseLabel"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_Security12bTitle_01a0c621-4ce4-7928-9b22-69b53c1389ab" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2025/dei-2025.xsd#dei_Security12bTitle"/>
    <link:presentationArc order="19" xlink:arcrole="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/arcrole/parent-child" xlink:from="loc_dei_CoverAbstract_01a0c621-4ce4-75a0-8b8f-07d566b5fc7c" xlink:to="loc_dei_Security12bTitle_01a0c621-4ce4-7928-9b22-69b53c1389ab" xlink:type="arc" preferredLabel="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/terseLabel"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_TradingSymbol_01a0c621-4ce4-7fcf-a810-f6bc55c24030" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2025/dei-2025.xsd#dei_TradingSymbol"/>
    <link:presentationArc order="20" xlink:arcrole="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/arcrole/parent-child" xlink:from="loc_dei_CoverAbstract_01a0c621-4ce4-75a0-8b8f-07d566b5fc7c" xlink:to="loc_dei_TradingSymbol_01a0c621-4ce4-7fcf-a810-f6bc55c24030" xlink:type="arc" preferredLabel="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/terseLabel"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_SecurityExchangeName_01a0c621-4ce4-782d-9af3-e58174521997" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2025/dei-2025.xsd#dei_SecurityExchangeName"/>
    <link:presentationArc order="21" xlink:arcrole="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/arcrole/parent-child" xlink:from="loc_dei_CoverAbstract_01a0c621-4ce4-75a0-8b8f-07d566b5fc7c" xlink:to="loc_dei_SecurityExchangeName_01a0c621-4ce4-782d-9af3-e58174521997" xlink:type="arc" preferredLabel="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/terseLabel"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_EntityEmergingGrowthCompany_01a0c621-4ce4-7905-a9b2-b24cc92e83d4" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2025/dei-2025.xsd#dei_EntityEmergingGrowthCompany"/>
    <link:presentationArc order="22" xlink:arcrole="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/arcrole/parent-child" xlink:from="loc_dei_CoverAbstract_01a0c621-4ce4-75a0-8b8f-07d566b5fc7c" xlink:to="loc_dei_EntityEmergingGrowthCompany_01a0c621-4ce4-7905-a9b2-b24cc92e83d4" xlink:type="arc" preferredLabel="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/terseLabel"/>
  </link:presentationLink>
</link:linkbase>
