Label-free bimolecular binding measurements

IRIS provides a label-free multiplexed microarray platform for measuring binding interactions for a variety of biological molecules and particles including small molecules, proteins, nucleic acids, bacteria, viruses and extra-cellular vesicles. Our technology allows high level of multiplexing on a low-cost, robust, compact, and easy-to-use instrument with inexpensive consumables.

Kinetics you can trust — because the data actually fits the model.

Every binding kinetics platform reports a KD. Not every platform’s raw data actually supports the equation used to calculate it.

The IRIS MX-104/200 delivers label-free binding kinetics with a fit quality that consistently outperforms SPR and BLI — so the numbers you report are backed by curves that genuinely follow 1:1 Langmuir behavior, not a fit forced onto noisy, artifact-laden traces.

THE PROBLEM: A good looking Kd isn’t always a trustworthy one!

EvA binding kinetics model is only as good as the data it’s fit to. SPR and BLI sensorgrams are frequently affected by mass-transport limitation, avidity and rebinding artifacts, bulk refractive-index shifts, and injection spikes — effects that distort the association and dissociation phases and force the fitting algorithm to compromise. The result can be a KD that’s mathematically generated but doesn’t reflect a clean molecular interaction.

The dissociation phase is usually where this shows up first: SPR traces in particular tend to drift, curve, or fail to return to baseline in ways a simple exponential model can’t capture.

THE DATA: IRIS fits the data consistently.

We ran a head-to-head comparison of IRIS against BLI and SPR across dozens of real protein-protein interactions, scoring every fitted curve for goodness of fit. Thanks to Absea for providing the SPR and BI data.

IRIS didn’t just win on the average — it won on consistency. SPR and BLI both show long tails of poor fits, including cases where the model fails to describe the data at all. IRIS stays tightly clustered near a perfect fit across nearly the entire dataset, in both the association and dissociation phases.

That gap isn’t cosmetic. In a representative interaction, IRIS resolved a clean KD roughly 5x tighter than the value SPR reported for the same pair — because the IRIS sensorgram followed the binding model cleanly, while the SPR trace showed the curvature and drift of a strained fit.

Why the fit matters

  • Cleaner curves, less second-guessing. Fewer artifacts means fewer manual exclusions, re-runs, and judgment calls on which concentrations to trust.
  • Affinities you can defend. A KD backed by R² > 0.98 is a KD you can stand behind in a paper, a partner meeting, or an FDA submission.
  • A check on your existing data. Run IRIS in parallel with SPR/BLI to catch fits that look fine on the surface but are quietly compromised.

Already running SPR or BLI?

You don’t need to replace it – validate it !

If your lab already has an SPR or BLI system, IRIS isn’t a competing purchase — it’s a validation layer.

Add an IRIS MX-104 or MX-200 alongside your existing instrumentation and use it to confirm the affinities your primary platform reports, flag interactions where your current fits may be compromised by surface or mass-transport artifacts, and give reviewers, regulators, and internal stakeholders a second, independently-derived, well-behaved kinetic dataset before a KD goes into a publication, a filing, or a go/no-go decision.

For core facilities and diagnostics developers, this is the fastest way to add confidence to your kinetics pipeline without disrupting the workflows you’ve already built around SPR or BLI.

Benefits of the IRIS biosensing platform.

Multiplex enabled

The IRIS chips can be spotted with different specific capture agents in a microarray format allowing the detection of multiple analytes, such as biomarkers, in a single experiment. Multiplexing feature is also useful for antibody (or antibody pair) selection for a specific antigen for immunoassay development. We can provide a ready-to-use M2 iFOUR spotter to make the process of spotting your own chips easy.

Ultra-high sensitivity

IRIS can perform label-free detection of proteins with ultra-high sensitivity, achieving sub pg/mL sensitivity. This level of sensitivity, combined with multiplexing ability, is ideal for biomarker discovery and disease-specific biomarker detection.

Free of bulk effects

IRIS provides bulk-effect free operation, allowing for accurate binding kinetics measurements. This is especially important for small molecules that are dissolved in solvents such as DMSO, which is the major source of large signal variations in SPR systems. Bulk-effect free measurements are also useful for the analysis of complex media, as in bioprocessing for antibody production.

Rock stable

IRIS’s stability enables recording of dissociation kinetics measurements over long periods of time, on the order of hours, providing accurate slow dissociation rate calculations for high-affinity antibodies. This is especially important for the characterization of therapeutic antibodies.

Wide range of samples

Optical transduction mechanism and bulk-effect free operation renders IRIS very effective for measuring binding interactions in complex media. iRiS is compatible with a wide range of samples including serum and plasma.

Thickness measurement

IRIS measures biomass accumulation through direct thickness changes, unlike SPR, which relies on indirect refractive index shifts. This ensures highly accurate binding quantification, as only bound molecules affect the signal, not environmental factors like temperature.

Low instrument Cost

IRIS offers high sensitivity and accuracy measurements at a fraction of cost of other available systems such as surface plasmon resonance (SPR) and biolayer interferometry (BLI).

Low consumables cost

IRIS uses cost-efficient silicon substrates leveraging silicon chip wafers production techniques. While we provide pre-coated chips, ready-to-use, you can also coat your own.

Low cost per run

With the low consumables cost, and the ability to carry out multiplex analysis, the cost per data curve is kept very low, making this platform well suited for individual research scientists.

Explore Our Products

Innovative tools for precise biomolecular analysis, tailored to meet your research needs.

IRIS MX – 200

Revolutionize biomolecular interaction analysis.

Experience advanced multiplexing capabilities and precise, label-free binding measurements with the MX-200 system. Perfect for drug development, biomarker research, and more.

IRIS CHIP

IRIS Kinetics Chip

The foundation of precise measurements.

Engineered for versatility, IRIS Chips enable real-time analysis of complex biomolecular interactions with high sensitivity and flexibility.

Some of the many applications

01

Antibody – Antigens Interactions

Real-time binding measurements for antibody-antigen interactions is critical for diagnostic test development and therapeutic antibody evaluation. Label-free measurements of these interactions are of particular interest since labeling of molecules with fluorophores might interfere with their binding properties… (see App Note)

02

Small Molecule Binding Kinetics

Small molecules are chemical compounds with a molecular weight (MW) of less than 1 kDa. Many therapeutics and toxins fall in the category of small molecules, and therefore, the ability to measure small-molecule binding kinetics is of critical importance in pharmaceutical, diagnostic, and food industries…. (see App Note)

03

SNP Detection

Here, we describe two different capabilities of IRIS system for clinical research and development. (1) Label-free and kinetic measurement of DNA hybridization and denaturation for single-nucleotide mismatch detection (Genotype), and (2) Single cell imaging for identification and antibiotic susceptibility testing (AST) by monitoring growth and division of individual bacteria (Phenotype)… (See App Note) 

04

Long Off rates

Using traditional techniques, long off rates can not be measured directly. Since IRIS signal is so stable, it is now possible to carry out very long experiments, and directly measure off rates. This is particularly beneficial to the development of therapeutic antibodies…

05

Virus Detection

Using digital detection, one can count binding events between virus particles and immobilized capture antibodies.

Explore how IRIS technology is transforming biomolecular analysis across various applications.

Our Partner: axiVEND

We partner with axiVEND LLC, a company specializing in microarray products and services. axiVEND is a distributor of M2-Automation spotters. The iFOUR spotter has been customized with a special deck for IRIS chips, and spotting programs created to easily prepare the chips. Contact axiVEND here.

From the founder

My vision is to build a trusted, results-driven partner for businesses committed to excellence. Throughout our growth and evolution, our dedication to delivering tailored, innovative solutions has remained unwavering. Backed by a passionate team, we empower you to overcome challenges and capitalize on opportunities with clarity and confidence.

M Selim Ünlü

M Selim Ünlü

Meet the passionate team behind IRIS Kinetics and discover our vision.

Products

Explore our innovative products, including the IRIS Kinetics MX-104 and versatile IRIS Chips, designed to revolutionize biomolecular interaction analysis with precision and efficiency.