New Patent Strengthens the Company’s Robust Cotton Genotyping and Traceability Patent Portfolio

STONY BROOK, N.Y., (February 22, 2018)Applied DNA Sciences, Inc. (“Applied DNA,” “the Company,” NASDAQ: APDN), is pleased to announce the receipt of a Notice of Allowance for its U.S. Patent Application No. 14/191,947 (US 2014/0295423 A1) entitled Methods for Genetic Analysis of Textiles Made of Gossypium barbadense and Gossypium hirsutum Cotton. The allowed patent application, which will issue as a U.S. patent in the next few months, significantly bolsters the Company’s patent protection for its fiberTyping technology.

The newly allowed ‘947 application protects the Company’s proprietary methods of cotton species identification in a manufactured article via the extraction and analysis of target sequences found in the chloroplast DNA of the article. The allowed claims cover chloroplast DNA target sequence analysis via all known sequence-specific DNA analysis techniques, including qPCR (quantitative polymerase chain reaction) and hybridization probe technologies.

With the addition of the allowed ‘947 application, the Company has been granted 4 U.S. patents on its fiberTyping technology, which now cover the identification of a cotton species in a manufactured article via both target sequence and length polymorphism analysis of chloroplast DNA. The Company plans to closely monitor cotton products imported into the U.S. that allege to be verified via mature cotton fiber genotyping analysis, and will act accordingly.

Dr. James Hayward, president and CEO of Applied DNA, noted, “With the allowance of this patent application, we have now successfully protected both means by which the chloroplast DNA of cotton fibers can be analyzed, giving us a strong patent position in the cotton genotyping market.” Dr. Hayward continued,  “Our fiberTyping technology, coupled with our patented SigNature® T molecular tags, are the ultimate combination for the corroboration of cotton content label claims. No other system can provide the immutable forensic level identity and traceability proof our technology provides. With the recent announcement of our GeoTyping technology, we are continuing to push the boundaries of cotton genotyping science.”

About Applied DNA Sciences

Applied DNA is a provider of molecular technologies that enable supply chain security, anti-counterfeiting and anti-theft technology, product genotyping and DNA mass production for diagnostics and therapeutics.

We make life real and safe by providing innovative, molecular-based technology solutions and services that can help protect products, brands, entire supply chains, and intellectual property of companies, governments and consumers from theft, counterfeiting, fraud and diversion. The proprietary DNA-based CertainT® platform can be used to identify, tag, test, and track products, to help assure authenticity, origin, traceability, sustainability and quality of products.

SigNature® DNA describes the core technology ingredient that is at the heart of a family of uncopyable, security and authentication solutions such as SigNature®T and fiberTyping®, targeted towards textiles and apparel, BackTrac®, DNAnet® and SmartDNA® for anti-theft and loss prevention, and digitalDNA®, providing powerful track-and-trace. All provide a forensic chain of evidence, and can be used to prosecute perpetrators. Applied DNA Sciences is also engaged in the large-scale production of specific DNA sequences using the polymerase chain reaction.

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Forward-Looking Statements

The statements made by Applied DNA in this press release may be “forward-looking” in nature within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements describe Applied DNA’s future plans, projections, strategies and expectations, and are based on assumptions and involve a number of risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the control of Applied DNA. Actual results could differ materially from those projected due to our lack of significant revenues, limited financial resources, limited market acceptance, history of net losses, market competition and various other factors detailed from time to time in Applied DNA’s SEC reports and filings, including our Annual Report on Form 10-K filed on December 28, 2017 and our subsequent quarterly report on Form 10-Q filed on February 8, 2018, which are available at www.sec.gov. Applied DNA undertakes no obligation to update publicly any forward-looking statements to reflect new information, events or circumstances after the date hereof to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events, unless otherwise required by law.

Contacts

investor contact: Sanjay M. Hurry, 212-838-3777, mailto:shurry@lhai.com

media contact: Angie Mathews, 781-639-4924, angie@cgprpublicrelations.com

legal contact:  Clay Shorrock, General Counsel, 631 240 8814, mailto:clay.shorrock@adnas.com

ADNAS contact: MeiLin Wan, 631-240-8849, mailto:meilin.wan@adnas.com

web: www.adnas.com, twitter: @APDN