The surface plasmon resonance phenomenon has been studied in a chalcogenide glass-based optical system. IR transmission properties of these materials combined to their high refractive indices lead to advantageous properties for sensing. In this study, numerical simulations have been carried out to investigate the potentialities of sulfide glass from the GeGaSbS system as a coupling prism material. Then, an angular modulation SPR biosensor has been set up in the Kretschmann-Raether arrangement. Experimental data are consistent with numerical calculation and the detection limit of the sensor is 3 x 10(-5) RIU. These preliminary results are promising. Further investigations have to be carried out to confirm the great potentialities of those materials for SPR-based biosensor. (c) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.