Authentication Results Delivered and Suspects Convicted in Record Time

STONY BROOK, N.Y. February 2, 2018. Applied DNA Sciences, Inc. (NASDAQ: APDN, “Applied DNA” ), is pleased to report that SigNature DNA evidence has resulted in two new convictions, bringing the company’s total to 117.

Shaun Howard and his son Charlie Howard both pleaded guilty at Woolwich Crown Court (London, United Kingdom) in January 2018 and were convicted and sentenced to a total of 8 years imprisonment.

The father-son team committed a cash-in-transit attack against Loomis UK Limited on December 28, 2017, where they took possession of a cash box containing approximately £10,000 (USD equivalent $14,000). The criminals escaped in a van belonging to Shaun Howard.

They did not realize that the box also contained a security ink inoculated with SigNature DNA. Thanks to quick detective work and Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) technology, police were able to track the van and arrest the suspects.

Detectives collected evidential samples of ink stains from the suspects, which were analyzed by Applied DNA’s forensic laboratories. Within 5 working days, Kent Police received an Expert Witness report from Applied DNA that forensically linked the samples to the robbery. Nearly all of the stolen cash was recovered.

“The evidence Applied DNA has provided was invaluable and obviously assisted with the defendants entering early guilty pleas, saving time and money,” commented Detective Constable David Bull from Kent Police Serious Crime Directorate.

Tony Benson, Managing Director EMEA, added “This is the quickest conviction I have ever heard of using our SigNature DNA evidence. The number of days elapsed from the date of robbery to the criminals being sentenced was only 29, and let’s not forget Christmas and New Year holidays fell within this timeframe. This outcome is the result of excellent teamwork by police, Loomis and our forensic experts.”

This news comes hot on the heels of another conviction issued in late 2017. Clement O’Doherty was charged with handling stolen cash containing SigNature DNA, and was subsequently sentenced to 18 months for his role in a Loomis robbery at a London Tesco store in February 2017. On the same day, Mr. O’Doherty was given an additional 8 year sentence for grievous bodily harm inflicted in an unrelated case.

SigNature DNA evidence has helped to convict 117 criminals to date, with total sentences of over 550 years and many more cases in the pipeline.

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 toward textiles and apparel, BackTrac™ and DNAnet®, 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.

The Company’s common stock is listed on NASDAQ under the symbol APDN, and its warrants are listed under the symbol APDNW.

The statements made by APDN 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 APDN’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 APDN. Actual results could differ materially from those projected due to our short operating history, limited financial resources, limited market acceptance, market competition and various other factors detailed from time to time in APDN’s SEC reports and filings, including our Annual Report on Form 10-K filed on December 28, 2017, which is available at www.sec.gov. APDN 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.