An epidemic of inauthentic products may be consuming the mindset of today’s American consumers. According to a recent Harris Poll, commissioned by Applied DNA Sciences, roughly four in five Americans (79%) are concerned that products they purchase which they expect to be high quality could be made using low quality materials; more than 7 in 10 Americans (71%) are concerned that products they purchase have made false claims; and, nearly two thirds (65%) are concerned that products they purchase at full price could be knock-offs.

A Harris Poll found 79 percent of Americans are concerned products they buy are fakes or made with lower quality materials than expected.

Applied DNA Sciences announced new technical milestones in the growth of its contract research and contract manufacturing businesses.

In the past 12 months, Applied DNA has shipped over 8,000 milligrams of PCR-produced linear DNA for use in Diagnostic and Therapeutic applications. The Company has completed, or is progressing through, key milestones of a growing number of therapeutics research contracts for companies producing DNA and RNA vaccines and adoptive cell therapies. Key milestones of success for these gene therapies are delivery of DNA effectively into a cell, expressing the gene product from that DNA and eventually demonstrating the desired clinical outcome.

STONY BROOK – Molecular tagging technologies specialist Applied DNA has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with emerging technology enterprise Everledger – which uses a blockchain-enabled platform, machine vision and smart contracts to authenticate goods – and will execute a co-marketing and development plan to create a more comprehensive traceability service to the global supply chain.

Applied DNA Sciences and Everledger have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (“MOU”) to execute a co-marketing and development plan for the two companies’ platforms with an objective of providing integrated physical and digital security for supply chain traceability and certification for high-end brands and products.

Under the MOU, Applied DNA and Everledger will collaboratively integrate their respective technology platforms and pursue various market opportunities, including leather. The two companies have identified several prospects for the combined platform and are actively developing the system for the demonstration of tagging and in-field authentication data posting to the digital transactions, thereby reinforcing molecular certification with immutable transactions. Everledger’s leadership in tracking provenance on its blockchain-based platform has been proven to offer transparency and asset protection across various industries including diamonds, coloured gemstones and jewellery. The company’s emerging technology solution is scaled for industry standardization as evidenced by the provenance of over 2.2 million diamonds encrypted on its platform. The company was recently named as a World Economic Forum 2018 Technology Pioneer.

Applied DNA Sciences Director of Cannabis Business Development Gordon Hope talks about a new solution his company has for providing provenance for cannabis to allow interested parties and regulators to forensically track the origin of cannabis and its byproducts called CertainT.  The system provides an end to end solution to tag, test, and track, all data points captured in a secure cloud-based system for easy access to dashboards and detailed reporting.

Molecular tag, test and track platform provides physical identity and traceability for Everledger digital platform with leather supply chain as first target market

STONY BROOK, N.Y., July 31, 2018 – Applied DNA Sciences, Inc., (NASDAQ: APDN) (“Applied DNA” or the “Company,”) and Everledger, Inc. (“Everledger”), an independent emerging technology enterprise, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (“MOU”) to execute a co-marketing and development plan for the two companies’ platforms with an objective of providing integrated physical and digital security for supply chain traceability and certification for high-end brands and products.

Everledger’s leadership in tracking provenance on its blockchain-based platform has been proven to offer transparency and asset protection across various industries including diamonds, colored gemstones and jewelry. The company’s emerging technology solution is scaled for industry standardization as evidenced by the provenance of over 2.2 million diamonds encrypted on its platform. The company was recently named as a World Economic Forum 2018 Technology Pioneer.

Under the MOU, Applied DNA and Everledger will collaboratively integrate their respective technology platforms and pursue various market opportunities, including leather. The two companies have identified several prospects for the combined platform and are actively developing the system for the demonstration of tagging and in-field authentication data posting to the digital transactions, thereby reinforcing molecular certification with immutable transactions.

The combination of the Everledger blockchain-enabled platform with Applied DNA’s CertainT^® platform is designed to broaden the capability to track the movement and chain of custody of goods across complex ecosystems, while strengthening the protection of physical goods with forensic identity and traceability embedded in items themselves. The design expands on the proven functionality of the CertainT platform to support millions of tagging datapoints and thousands of sample submissions.

“We are expanding the breadth and depth of our CertainT platform solution to existing customers while also positioning us for potential customers on their journey to digitizing their supply chains,” said Judy Murrah, Chief Information Officer of Applied DNA. “We strive to allow our customers to have more transparency and accountability in their supply chains to the benefit of all stakeholders, whether financially, operationally, or in social responsibility.”

Everledger Founder & CEO Leanne Kemp stated, “If an asset does not have an identity, it does not have ownership, value or existence. In the high-end products market, authenticity, provenance as well as value, cannot be separated. By incorporating a forensic layer to uniquely identifying an asset, we can provide the added confidence in the data captured and tracked on our blockchain-enabled platform.”

“Through this collaboration with Applied DNA, we are excited to transform the standards of establishing authenticity and certification in a global manner. We look forward to extending our solutions for asset protection especially to industries that have an importance in the global commons.”

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, personalized medicine and therapeutics.

Applied DNA makes 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 uncopiable, security and authentication solutions, targeted a wide range of industries, including but not limited to, pharmaceuticals and nutraceuticals, textiles and defense materials, and DNAnet®, for anti-theft and loss prevention, and digitalDNA®, providing powerful track-and-trace. Our products provide a forensic chain of evidence in large commercial ecosystems.

Visit adnas.com for more information. Follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn. Join our mailing list.

About Everledger
Founded in 2015, Everledger is an independent global emerging technology enterprise. It is focused on creating and maintaining ecosystems of trust to address real-world challenges. Incorporating a rich forensic approach to identify and track assets, Everledger delivers the transparency and confidence needed to bring global stakeholders together.

First established in tracking diamond provenance, Everledger has become a global leader in digital provenance. Today, its platform is trusted by many industries including diamonds, coloured gemstones, jewellery, fine wine and art. Its achievements have been recognised through the significant industry partnerships forged and globally-respected awards won. For more information, visit everledger.io

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, risk of not obtaining regulatory approval 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 reports on Form 10-Q filed on February 8, 2018 and May 3, 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.

Investor contact: Sanjay M. Hurry, 212-838-3777, LHA Investor Relations, shurry@lhai.com
media contact: Cheryl Schneider, Dian Griesel Int’l, 212-825-3210, cschneider@dgicomm.com
program contacts: Judy Murrah, Chief Information Officer, 631.240.8819, judy.murrah@adnas.com
Candice Teo, Head of PR and Communications, Everledger, +33 6 58 59 95 97, media@everledger.io
web: www.adnas.com
twitter: @APDN

New Harris Poll, commissioned by Applied DNA Sciences, finds a majority of American consumers are concerned about inauthentic products, and will take strong action, boycotting companies, writing negative reviews and reporting to regulatory bodies.

73% of action takers would stop purchasing from deceitful companies.

Among those action takers:

And the concern is justified.

The prevalence of inauthentic products is growing significantly. The 2018 Global Brand Counterfeiting Report stated that counterfeiting globally reached 1.2 trillion USD in 2017 and is expected to reach 1.82 trillion USD by 2020.

Source: Survey of 2,019 U.S. adults 18 and over, was conducted online during June 2018 by The Harris Poll on behalf of Applied DNA Sciences, the leader in supply chain certification. For further information on this survey, please contact info@adnas.com.

New Harris Poll, commissioned by Applied DNA Sciences, finds consumers will take strong action, boycotting companies, writing negative reviews and reporting to regulatory bodies

STONY BROOK N.Y., July 26, 2018 – An epidemic of inauthentic products may be consuming the mindset of today’s American consumers according to a recent Harris Poll: Roughly four in five Americans (79%) are concerned that products they purchase which they expect to be high quality could be made using low quality materials; more than 7 in 10 Americans (71%) are concerned that products they purchase have made false claims; and, nearly two thirds (65%) are concerned that products they purchase at full price could be knock-offs. These are the results of a survey of over 2,000 U.S. adults 18 and over, conducted online during June 2018 by The Harris Poll on behalf of Applied DNA Sciences, the leader in DNA-based authentication.

“This survey confirms that selling inauthentic products can be extremely detrimental to companies and their brands,” said James A. Hayward, Ph.D., chairman, president and CEO of Applied DNA Sciences. “In fact, nearly all Americans (94%) say that, if they found out a product they bought at full price was inauthentic, they would take action.”

Among those who would take action:

• 73% would stop buying from the company that sold it
• 67% would try to return the product
• 63% would tell friends/family about their negative experience
• 43% would formally defame the company that sold it by writing a negative review
• 43% would report the company to regulatory agencies

Behavioral impacts fluctuate based on age and gender, with women more likely than men and older adults more likely than younger adults to act.

• 77% of women vs. 69% of men, and 81% of adults aged 45+ vs aged 64% of adults aged 18-44 would stop buying from the company that sold the inauthentic product
• 72% of adults aged 45+ vs. 59% of adults aged 18-34 would try to return the product
• 66% of women vs. 60% of men and 69% of adults aged 45+ vs. 54% of adults aged 18-34 would tell friends/family about their negative experience
• 46% of women vs. 40% of men would write a negative review about the company that sold it
• 48% of adults aged 45+ vs. 36% of adults aged 18-44 would report the company to the authorities.

Additional findings of the survey suggest that Americans disapprove of unethical business practices and the use of forced labor when it comes to companies they purchase from, and they are not naïve to the fact that these practices are prevalent. Nearly three quarters of Americans are concerned that products they purchase could be made using forced labor or by companies that use bad business practices (74% and 73% respectively). Again, differences arise when it comes to gender and age:

• Women are more likely than men to voice concern about forced labor (80% vs 69%) and companies with bad business practices (79% vs 66%).
• Older adults, ages 65+, are more likely than their younger counterparts to feel forced labor may be rampant, 81% are concerned about this when it comes to the products they purchase compared to 73% of 18-to-64-year-olds.

The prevalence of inauthentic products is growing significantly. The 2018 Global Brand Counterfeiting Report stated that counterfeiting globally reached 1.2 trillion USD in 2017 and is expected to reach 1.82 trillion USD by 2020. The U.S. Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) published statistics for the fiscal year in 2016 that showed 31,560 seizures of intellectual property rights (IPRs), up nine percent from the previous fiscal year. CBP estimated that the total manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP) of the seized goods would have equaled approximately $1.4 billion if they were legitimate products.

“Years of technological advancement have made it harder to spot inauthentic products,” adds Dr. Hayward. “As a result, consumers are deceived into purchasing an inferior or unethically produced product. We offer an authentication solution to manufacturers by using biotechnology as a forensic foundation to track products on a molecular level from source to seller. It provides supply chains with scientific proof and physical traceability of materials and products.”

“The proliferation of counterfeit products is not only a threat to American brands, but also to American consumers,” says Stephen Lamar, executive vice president of the American Apparel & Footwear Association. “While lost sales and brand equity are certainly concerns, the dangers of buying a product that does not meet product safety requirements, was made in an unregulated factory, or that does not meet quality standards is very real. Creating better public policy, educating consumers, and taking advantage of emerging technologies are all essential components in the fight against intellectual property theft.”

Consumers can become more proactive to ensure an authentic purchase. The United States Government Accountability Office suggests that consumers become familiar with the brand and know its products. Consumer should also buy only from trusted retailers, know the difference between “fulfilled by” and “sold by,” and be wary of “too good to be true” prices. 

Survey Methodology
This survey was conducted online within the United States by The Harris Poll on behalf of Applied DNA Sciences between June 21 and 25, 2018 among 2,019 U.S. adults ages 18 and older. This online survey is not based on a probability sample and therefore no estimate of theoretical sampling error can be calculated. For complete survey methodology, including weighting variables and subgroup sample sizes, please contact Angie Mathews, angie@cgprpublications.com.

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, personalized medicine and therapeutics.

Applied DNA makes 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 uncopiable, security and authentication solutions, targeted a wide range of industries, including but not limited to, pharmaceuticals and nutraceuticals, textiles and defense materials, and DNAnet®, for anti-theft and loss prevention, and digitalDNA®, providing powerful track-and-trace. Our products provide a forensic chain of evidence in large commercial ecosystems.

Visit adnas.com for more information. Follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn. Join our mailing list.

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, risk of not obtaining regulatory approval 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 reports on Form 10-Q filed on February 8, 2018 and May 3, 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.

Investor contact: Sanjay M. Hurry, 212-838-3777, LHA Investor Relations, shurry@lhai.com
Media contact: Angie Mathews, 781-639-4924, angie@cgprpublicrelations.com
Program contact: MeiLin Wan, 631-240-8849, meilin.wan@adnas.com
Web: www.adnas.com
Twitter: @APDN