SensiQ
SensíQ is a product line of surface plasmon resonance (SPR) based instruments used to detect biological interactions between proteins, peptides, antibodies, and organic molecules. The most common analysis performed are the determination of binding affinity and kinetic parameters, and to identify binding partners in a qualitative manner1. It can also be used to perform concentration assays without amplification or labeling typically used in ELISA and ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy.
SensíQ Pioneer is a three-channel automated SPR instrument with permanent optics; SensíQ and SensíQ Discovery are 2-channel semi-automated and manually operated instruments, respectively, that use the disposable Spreeta SPR sensor developed by Texas Instruments2. These SPR instruments were developed to utilize the Spreeta sensor technology which Icx Nomadics holds the rights to.
SensíQ is manufactured in Oklahoma City by Icx Nomadics bioinstrumentation division, a division of Icx Technologies (Arlington, VA), and has been in production since 2007. Nomadics was founded in 1994 in Stillwater, OK and was acquired by Icx in 20053.
SensíQ’s competition includes Biacore (GE Healthcare), Bio-Rad (Hercules, CA), and Reichert (Seefeld, Germany).
References
1.) Rich, R.L., Myszka, D.G., Survey of the year 2007 commercial optical biosensor literature. J. Mol. Recognit. 2008, 21, 355-400.
2.) Chinowsky, T.M., Quinn, J.G., Bartholomew, D.U., Kaiser, R., Elkind, J.L., Performance of the Spreeta 2000 integrated surface plasmon resonance affinity sensor. Sensors and Actuators B. 2003, 91, 266-274.
3.) Icx Technologies, Inc: Form 424B4. Web. 20 July 2009. <http://files.shareholder.com/downloads/ICXT/0x0xS1193125-07-240790/1334303/filing.pdf >.