Development and Marketing Agreement with TheraCann International Will Create the First Seed-to-Sale Cannabis Tracking System Combining Molecular Tagging and Blockchain Technologies

STONY BROOK N.Y. (January 25, 2018) – Applied DNA Sciences, Inc. (NASDAQ: APDN, “Applied DNA,” “the Company”) today announced the signing of an initial two-year, $1 million contract with TheraCann International Benchmark Corporation, (“TheraCann”), a leading full service cannabis consultancy with operations in the US, Canada, Australia, Europe and South America, for the integration of the Company’s SigNature^® molecular tagging and testing technology into TheraCann’s blockchain-based, seed-to-sale Enterprise Resource Platform (ERP) for legal cannabis operations. Under the terms of the contract, the companies have entered into a development and marketing agreement whereby Applied DNA will develop the technologies necessary to tag and authenticate legal cannabis throughout the supply chain and seamlessly integrate tagging and authentication data into TheraCann’s ERP and Blockchain platform. Applied DNA will receive an initial payment under its contract with TheraCann in the current quarter.

The rapid global adoption of legal cannabis legislation has accelerated the need to secure and truly validate cannabis supply chains from seed-to-sale. Current systems, many of which rely on RFID or bar code technologies, are capable of accurately tacking cannabis supply chains through the cultivation stage, but cannot forensically track cannabis and/or cannabis derivative products back to a specific source once the physical tags and packaging are removed. This gap allows the opportunity for illegal diversion and the introduction of illegally-sourced cannabis into legal supply chains. Combining molecular tagging with digital tracking enhances existing seed to sale systems to a new level of capability and compliance with state, and international laws and guidelines.

In response to the known limitations of current seed-to-sale systems, the State of Colorado this month introduced a new bill (SB 18-029) that mandates the addition of physical-chemical identifiers (PCIDs), of which Applied DNA’s molecular tags comply, to all legal cannabis plants grown in the state for the purposes of tracking cannabis and cannabis derivative products back to their origin. As the industry matures, next generation platforms, such as the one under development by Applied DNA and TheraCann, will support collaboration between regulators, law enforcement and producers in shaping the future of the cannabis industry.

“Our molecular tag creates an immutable link between the authenticity of goods and the authenticity of digital transactions to serve as a unique and forensic identifier that becomes part of a blockchain transaction throughout the supply chain,” stated Dr. James A. Hayward, president and chief executive officer of Applied DNA. “We believe that all blockchain platforms require forensic origination to ensure the veracity of the subsequent distributed ledger. The legal global cannabis industry is a complex supply chain and, therefore, a natural fit for our proven technologies across all medical and consumer applications. We are excited to work with TheraCann to enhance traceability in the expanding legal cannabis market.”

According to a market report from Arcview Research, the North American legal cannabis market in 2017 was valued at $6.7 billion per year and is expected to grow to $20.1 billion per year by 2021. While cannabis remains illegal under US federal law, eight states plus Washington DC have legalized cannabis for recreational use, while twenty-nine states plus Washington DC have legalized cannabis for medical use. An additional seven states are expected to legalize cannabis in the coming year. 15 countries outside the USA have permitted medical cannabis. Canada has been operating a federal medical cannabis program since 2001 and is expected to federally legalize recreational cannabis by mid-2018.

Chris Bolton, Chief Operating Officer for TheraCann added, “The platform under development by TheraCann and Applied DNA will be uniquely suited to meet the growing demand for true forensic level seed-to-sale tracking and diversion control systems globally. As each new state or country legalizes medicinal or recreational cannabis, it creates an opportunity for the broad-scale adoption of our technologies.”

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. The Company 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 uncopyable, security and authentication solutions such as SigNature®T and fiberTyping^®, targeted towards 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.

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

About TheraCann International Benchmark Corporation
Founded in 2004, TheraCann International Benchmark Corporation offers a one-stop, full-service solution for the International cannabis marketplace including, government applications, planning, facility design, cultivation, marketing and communications. With nearly 5 million square feet of cannabis operations under management and the successful launch of groundbreaking Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software, Aeroponic cultivation systems and integrated finCEN compliant blockchain solutions, TheraCann provides cannabis-related businesses with solutions to fit their regulatory requirements.

More information about TheraCann is available at www.theracanncorp.com. Follow TheraCann on Twitter and Linkedin.

Forward-Looking Statements
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, shifting enforcement priorities of US federal laws relating to cannabis, 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.

investor contact: Sanjay M. Hurry, 212-838-3777, shurry@lhai.com
media contact: Cheryl Schneider, 212-825-3210, cschneider@dgicomm.com
program contact: Gordon Hope, 631-240-8850, gordon.hope@adnas.com
web: www.adnas.com, twitter: @APDN

New Facility to Service Growing Business in Textiles, Global Supply Chains from the Asia Pacific Region

STONY BROOK N.Y. January 23, 2018 – Applied DNA Sciences, Inc. (NASDAQ: APDN, “Applied DNA,” “the Company”) today announced the establishment of a Central DNA Testing Laboratory in Ahmedabad, India providing full forensic authentication services. The laboratory supports Applied DNA’s growing global textile business in the Asia-Pacific region with expansion capability for other supply chains present in the region, such as fertilizer and pharmaceuticals. Officially opening on February 15, 2018, the Central Laboratory is strategically located in the state of Gujarat, an economic hub for the development and advancement of cotton, other textiles, fertilizers, petrochemicals and pharmaceuticals.

Dr. Ila Lansky, a forensic scientist with over 11 years of forensic DNA experience, will direct the Central DNA Testing Laboratory. She currently oversees all aspects of forensic analysis, testing, authentication and reporting for all samples submitted, following the standard operating procedures established by Applied DNA’s New York forensic laboratories. The Central DNA Testing Laboratory is a high throughput laboratory, providing customers with accurate reports in a short turnaround time.

“This is an important opportunity for Applied DNA to bring our proven technologies to the heart of India’s textile industry, and share our impeccable standards and operational protocols,” said Dr. Lansky.  “The laboratory will have the ability to process thousands of samples, serving our textiles customers in the region.”

The Indian textile industry is currently estimated at approximately $135 billion USD and is expected to reach $230 billion by 2023 (IBEF 2017). It is home to such global textile brands and manufacturers as The Himatsingka Group and GHCL Limited. Additionally, India is home to the sixth largest pharmaceutical market in the world, with an expected value of $550 billion by 2020 (IBEF 2017).

“Opening a lab in Gujarat has both strategic and practical importance for Applied DNA,” said Dr. James A. Hayward, president and chief executive officer of Applied DNA. “Our partnership with Himatsingka has proven remarkably successful, with uptake in the commercial ecosystem and endorsement by big box retailers. Adoption of our technologies by other textile companies is growing. Working closely with such India-based industry majors as Himatsingka and GHCL, we know Applied DNA’s value in enabling source-verified supplied chains and contributing the steady growth and ensured protection of the circular economy. It only makes sense for Applied DNA to have a facility where so many of our current and future partners are based.”

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. The Company 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 uncopyable, security and authentication solutions such as SigNature^®T and fiberTyping^®, targeted towards 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.

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

Forward-Looking Statements
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.

Investor contact: Sanjay M. Hurry, 917-733-5573, sanjay.hurry@adnas.com 
Program contact: MeiLin Wan, Vice President Textile Sales, 631-240-8849, meilin.wan@adnas.com

Applied DNA Sciences will introduce ‘GeoTyping’ Beta program, helping brands and retailers in identifying country-of-origin in cases of cotton substitution. This is an expansion of Applied DNA’s SigNature T cotton traceability system, enabling the identification of the origin for cotton that may be replaced for the cotton specified on labels.

The GeoTyping program will use a known library of biomarkers that designate DNA fingerprint of the cotton cultivar, including genus, species and one of 70 different geographic-cultivar-dependent genotypes.

January 18, 2018 | Reposted from pimacott.com

Your guests are on their way – are you prepared for them? In addition to planning activities and shopping for snacks, you’ll want to make sure your guest bedding and towels will make your friends and family feel right at home. With a bit of smart planning, you can build a linen closet that makes hosting – and everyday living – a snap.

Begin with a Closet Edit
It’s easy for the linen closet to become a catchall storage space, stuffed to the brim not just with spare sheets and towels, but also all those rags, spare toiletries, and old linens that you would never dream of using for guests. To create the perfect linen closet, it’s important to start by clearing out the clutter. If possible, find another storage solution for everything other than sheets, pillowcases, blankets, towels, and washcloths. Toss anything that looks ratty or is stained, and donate items that are still in good shape but that you no longer use. It’s tempting to hang on to items “just in case” but by creating a linen closet that contains only useful items, you’ll save yourself time, energy, and stress in the long run.

Consider Your Home’s Needs
Before you stock up on sheets, think hard about your family and home. As a rule of thumb, you should plan to have at least two sets of sheets and pillowcases for each bed or sofa bed in your house to ensure you’re never caught without a spare set on laundry day. We’ve discussed how often to wash towels before, so we recommend keeping a spare set of towels and washcloths on hand. It’s also important to consider the different seasons where you live. A well-stocked linen closet should have blankets or comforters of different weights, and sheets to suit your preferences for both cold winter nights and balmy summer evenings. Of course, we prefer the breathability of 100% pima cotton year-round, but some like to switch out lighter linens for flannel sheets come cooler weather.

As Always – Quality Over Quantity
Now that you’ve purged your closet of extra junk and done a thoughtful inventory of your needs, it’s time to invest in high-quality products that will make a big difference for your family and your guests. Don’t fall for the myth of threadcount, but instead look for 100% pima cotton sheets. The Wamsutta line of sheets and towels is made with PimaCott cotton, which is proven pure to guarantee superior quality for lasting softness and strength. By stocking your linen closet with high-quality cotton sheets and towels, you can be confident that your linens will stand up to years of use in your bedrooms and bathrooms. And this kind of long-lasting, durable quality means a better experience for guests, and less stress for you as a host.

STONY BROOK, N.Y. January 18, 2018 – Applied DNA Sciences, Inc. (NASDAQ: APDN; “Applied DNA”, “the Company”), today announced it will introduce a GeoTyping™ Beta Program, for the month of February, to brands and retailers interested in identifying country-of-origin in cases of cotton fiber substitution. Applied DNA is asking those interested to provide cotton samples suspected to contain cotton from Uzbekistan (“Uzbek cotton”).

The “GeoTyping™ Beta Program uses a known library of biomarkers that designate the DNA fingerprint of the cotton cultivar, including genus, species and one of 70 different geographic-cultivar-dependent genotypes. In 2017, Applied DNA identified two biomarkers for Uzbekistan cotton, and has continued to advance its DNA assays and broaden the validation of the GeoTyping program.

It is an expansion of Applied DNA’s end-to-end SigNature^® T cotton traceability system, enabling the identification of the country of origin for cottons that may be substituted for the cotton specified on labels. For example, “Grown in America” cotton might be substituted by an inferior quality of cotton sourced off-shore. This technology ensures the country-of-origin is properly identified on labels, and can help to prevent the entry of cotton cultivated by human rights abusers.

“Our SigNature T cotton traceability system provides substantial advantages over current supply chain management authentication, such as RFID, data dots or ‘certificates of authenticity’,” said Dr. James A Hayward, president and CEO of Applied DNA. “Today, uncertainty of cotton supply chains remains if there is no way to physically trace the fibers to their source, and verify through DNA testing at yarn, fabric and finished goods. You cannot put an RFID on every single fiber and expect it to remain on the finished good. SigNature T combined with the GeoTyping Beta Program, provides full traceability that is seamless, economical and exact.”

“Our high-resolution cotton GeoTyping assays can provide proof of the sourcing crimes and human rights abuses in the CASH Investigation expose.” Hayward continued. “GeoTyping complements SigNature T tagging. Should non-compliance be suspected in a SigNature T-participating textile, GeoTyping serves as the means to identify the source of cotton fiber substitution.”

Recent reports have scrutinized hidden human rights abuses in global cotton supply chains. On November 28, 2017, on prime time French television, the CASH Investigative Team reported Uzbek cotton was handpicked by forced labor organized on a large scale (approximately 1 million people) by the Uzbek government. A significant amount of this cotton was shipped (some with missing or misleading statements of origin), to Bangladesh manufacturers that supply products to many U.S., U.K. and E.U. brands. The report also showed that suppliers who manufacture in South Korea, China and Europe also received Uzbek cotton.

Posing as a European importer, the CASH team also captured a conversation on hidden camera in which an Uzbek cotton product manufacturer offered to designate the country of origin (as opposed to Uzbekistan) that the buyer would prefer be stated on the origination documents. The Uzbek exporter stated this was a very common measure undertaken for companies purchasing Uzbek cotton products, and that the risk of being caught falsely stating that the product was manufactured in Bulgaria, for example, was almost non-existent.

Many of the potentially affected brands had publicly pledged to boycott Uzbek cotton in compliance with government laws, or were participating in global cotton initiatives that promulgate sustainability credits and ethical purchasing standards. Nonetheless, these brands were wittingly or unwittingly using manufacturers in their supply chain who were buying Uzbek cotton, providing the opportunity for cotton obtained via human rights abuse to enter their supply chains.

GeoTyping is meant to complement, not replace, SigNature T tagging. The cost of this assay is comparatively higher due to the equipment, reagents, and maintenance associated with maintaining the extensive and annually-changing library of genomes against which single samples must be compared. SigNature T tagging provides a method to trace any fiber tested in a dedicated supply chain back to the intended original source; it can also be assigned meaning such as year, gin, or other attribute not possible from cotton’s inherent DNA.  Should non-compliance be suspected in SigNature T-participating textiles, GeoTyping can serve as the means to identify the source of cotton fiber substitution.

Applied DNA in concert with The Himatsingka Group utilizes an integrated cotton DNA authentication platform that incorporates a physical molecular tracer combined with genotyping. Together these technologies serve to preserve the integrity and purity of the cotton fiber at its precise point of origin – the date, time, place and the social and environmental practices used to produce the cotton. The collaboration with The Himatsingka Group provides for tagging at source, testing compliance at every step in the supply chain, and tracing of fabric and finished goods to the original source. This SigNature^® T platform includes an IT tracking framework that is blockchain-ready, and permits the brand-owner, retailer or consumer to confirm the content and origin of the cotton fibers contained within their home textiles and garments. Nine cotton gins participate in the US.

“The Himatsingka Group is pleased with the commencement of the ‘GeoTyping’ project which will ensure global cotton mapping capabilities and further enhance transparency across the cotton value chain, thus bringing greater value to the consumer,” stated Shrikant Himatsingka, Managing Director & Group CEO, Himatsingka Group.

For further information on the GeoTyping Beta Program, contact textilesales@adnas.com.

Disclaimer: Applied DNA has no affiliation with CASH Investigative team. The Company did not travel with the CASH Investigative team.  However, our staff have been direct witness to the abundant presence of Uzbek cotton at firms manufacturing well-respected global textile brands.

About The Himatsingka Group
The Himatsingka Group is a vertically integrated Textile major with a global footprint. The Group focuses on the manufacturing, retailing and distribution of Home Textile products. On the manufacturing front, the Group operates amongst the largest capacities in the world for producing Bedding Products, Bath Products, ultrafine count Cotton Yarn and Decorative Fabrics. Spread across Asia, Europe and North America, its retail and wholesale distribution divisions carry some of the most prestigious brands in the home textile space and cater to private label programs of major retailers across these geographies. With a team of over 6000 people, the Group continues to expand reach and build capacities in the textile space.

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 uncopiable, 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.

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

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

Forward-Looking Statements
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 history of losses, 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.

Investor contact: Sanjay Hurry, 212-838-3777, shurry@lhai.com
media contact: Angie Mathews, 714-768-1140, angie@cgprpublicrelations.com
program contact: MeiLin Wan, 631-240-8849, meilin.wan@adnas.com
web: www.adnas.com, twitter: @APDN

By GREGORY ZELLER // www.innovateli.com

Already the bane of Swedish car thieves, Applied DNA Sciences has now notched its first armed-robbery criminal conviction in Ireland.

The latest international adventure for the Stony Brook-based anti-theft and product-authentication specialist and its ever-evolving roster of vertical markets takes us to the Emerald Isle, where evidence gathered through the biotech’s SigNature DNA platform has helped convict a thug involved in a violent theft.

As in recent years, our talented and experienced PMMI Media Group Editors fanned out across the many booths at PACK EXPO Las Vegas to bring you this Innovations Report.

Day two of PACK EXPO Las Vegas brought a joint announcement from Videojet and Applied DNA Sciences that could make synthetic DNA a far more commonly applied solution to the scourge of counterfeiting. The two firms have entered into a strategic partnership whereby DNA markers will be contained in the inks that occupy Videojet’s continuous ink-jet print cartridges.

Caught “green-blue handed”, Applied DNA secures first conviction in Ireland

STONY BROOK, N.Y. January 3, 2018 – Applied DNA Sciences, Inc. (NASDAQ: APDN, “Applied DNA”), today announced that SigNature® DNA evidence has helped to convict a member of an Irish organized crime group involved in a Cash in Transit (CiT) robbery.

The robbery in question took place in February 2016. A G4S cash-in-transit guard was approached by two criminals, one brandishing a firearm and the other a knife. The criminals escaped with a stolen cash box in a car driven by Lee Harris, another member of the robbery team. Harris, a 21-year-old male from Dublin, dropped off the criminals at the crime scene earlier that day and kept lookout for police while the robbery took place. Later that evening, Harris was stopped at a police checkpoint for driving erratically and was subsequently arrested for drunk driving.

€2,850 in blue/green ink-stained bank notes were found on Lee Harris and the following day he was charged with armed robbery.

Police contacted Applied DNA to request forensic examination of bank notes. Within a week, Applied DNA laboratories analyzed samples and returned an expert witness report to police, forensically linking the stained bank notes to the specific cash box stolen during the armed robbery.

Evidence from the expert witness report was used to secure a conviction against Lee Harris in December 2017. Lawyers acting on behalf of Harris said he was caught “green-blue handed” with bank notes that were stained with the security ink containing a SigNature DNA tag, and he was was sentenced to 4 years in prison.

“This is the first criminal conviction in Ireland secured using SigNature DNA evidence, and should act as a warning to any other criminals who may be considering a cash-in-transit attack. Our ever-increasing tally has now reached 115 criminals convicted for 545 years of jail time,” commented Tony Benson, Applied DNA’s Managing Director for EMEA.

“Also, this demonstrates the fantastic service provided by Applied DNA and in particular our forensic laboratory team who analyze these bank note samples quickly, which is often the subject of special praise,” commented Dr. James Hayward, president and CEO of Applied DNA.

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 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.

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

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

Forward Looking Statements
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.

Investor contact: Sanjay M. Hurry, LHA Investor Relations, 212-838-3777, shurry@lhai.com
Media: Cheryl Schneider, Dian Griesel Int’l, 212-825-3210, cschneider@dgicomm.com
Program Contact: Tony Benson, Managing Director, Applied DNA Europe, +1 44 (0) 7552 429341 tony.benson@adnas.com
web: www.adnas.com, twitter: @APDN

Company To Hold Conference Call and Webcast Today, Thursday, December 28, 2017 at 4:30 PM EST

STONY BROOK, N.Y. December 28, 2017 – Applied DNA Sciences, Inc. (NASDAQ: APDN) (“Applied DNA” or the “Company”), announced financial results for the full fiscal year and quarter ended September 30, 2017.

Commenting on Applied DNA’s performance for the fiscal year, Dr. James A. Hayward, president and chief executive officer, stated, “Fiscal 2017 did not fulfill our revenue expectations, but nonetheless stands out for the growing validation of our disruptive DNA technology platform by leading global companies and government agencies, resulting in a broader base of business activity and new revenue opportunities, and drove our expected annual recurring revenue to increase to over $6.5 million per year. In addition, working diligently to execute on our growth strategy, we exited the fiscal year with 23 feasibility pilots in our pipeline, an increase from 14 at the end of the third fiscal quarter, with two of the 23 pilots now commercialized.”

“Entering fiscal 2018, momentum in business activity is increasing following the recent signing of new strategic partnerships across several of our key business verticals,” continued Dr. Hayward. “Videojet gives us direct line-of-sight into multiple commercial ecosystems, including enhanced opportunities to tag Federal Supply Classes within the Defense Logistics Agency in which we do not yet have a presence, and in pharmaceuticals, where the global healthcare industry is moving to comply with federally mandated regulations, such as the U.S. Drug Supply Chain Security Act (US DSCSA) and the EU’s Falsified Medicine Directive (EUFMD), both of which require serialized  pharmaceutical packaging.  Our new memorandum of understanding with Colorcon potentially broadens the applicability of our platform and gives us access to both the pharmaceutical and nutraceutical industries. Similarly, through our partnership with Rosier S.A. for DNA-tagged fertilizer, we are preparing to enter markets that represent over 60% of total global fertilizer consumption. Having established a foundation of growing recurring revenues, an expanding pipeline of pilot projects and with the addition of several new strategic partnerships expected to contribute to revenue in the current year, we believe we are firmly on a trajectory for growth in fiscal 2018.”

Fiscal 2017 Financial Results:

• Revenues increased 13% to $4.8 million as compared to $4.2 million in the prior fiscal year. The increase in year-over-year total revenues is attributable to increases in product revenue of approximately $1.4 million in the textile industry primarily for protecting cotton supply chains, offset by a net decrease in service revenues from government contract awards of approximately $800 thousand, primarily as a result of two awards which expired in July and August 2016.
• Total operating expenses were $16.5 million, compared with $15.2 million in the prior fiscal year, an increase of approximately $1.3 million or 8%. The increase is primarily attributable to an increase in stock based compensation expense, offset by a decrease in R&D due to the expiration of the two government contract awards.
• Net loss for fiscal 2017 was $12.9 million, or $0.49 per share, compared with a net loss of $12.2 million, or $ 0.51 per share, in the prior fiscal year.
• Excluding non-cash expenses, Adjusted EBITDA for fiscal 2017 was negative $8.3 million, as compared to a negative Adjusted EBITDA of $9.2 million in the prior fiscal year. See below for information regarding non-GAAP measures.

Fiscal Fourth Quarter Results:

• Revenues decreased 30% for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2017 to $1.1 million, compared with $1.6 million reported in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2016, and decreased 36% from the $1.8 million reported in the third fiscal quarter ended June 30, 2017. The year-over-year quarterly decrease in revenues resulted primarily from decreased sales to the textile industry. The year-over-year quarterly decrease in textile industry sales was due to the fact that the shipments of DNA concentrate took place in the third quarter of fiscal 2017 as compared to fiscal 2016 when they took place in the fourth quarter, as well as the restructuring of payment terms under the June 23, 2017 licensing agreement with Himatsingka America, Inc. The timing of the shipments is also the reason for the decrease in revenues for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2017 as compared to the prior fiscal quarter.
• Total operating expenses remained fairly flat at $3.7 million for the fourth fiscal quarter of 2017, compared with $3.6 million in the prior fiscal year’s quarter.
• Net loss for the quarter ended September 30, 2017 was $2.9 million, or $0.10 per share, compared with a net loss of $2.4 million, or $0.10 per share, for the quarter ended September 30, 2016 and a net loss of $2.6 million, or $0.10 per share, for the quarter ended June 30, 2017.
• Excluding non-cash expenses, Adjusted EBITDA was constant at a negative $1.7 million for both the quarters ended September 30, 2017 and for the same quarter last year and a negative Adjusted EBITDA of $1.5 million in the prior fiscal quarter ended June 30, 2017.
• Net cash used in operating activities in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2017 was $914 thousand. This compares with $1.9 million in the corresponding prior-quarter period. See below for information regarding non-GAAP measures.

Fiscal Fourth Quarter Operational Highlights:

• On December 20, the Company entered into a securities purchase agreement with certain institutional investors to purchase an aggregate of 2,735,000 shares of common stock and warrants to purchase an aggregate of 2,735,000 shares of common stock in a registered direct offering. The offering closed on December 22, 2017 with net proceeds anticipated to be approximately $4.2 million, exclusive of warrant exercise proceeds. Applied DNA intends to use the net proceeds of the offering for working capital, capital expenditures, business development and research and development expenditures and the acquisitions of new technologies or businesses.
• On December 18, Applied DNA and Colorcon entered into a technology license memorandum of understanding (“MOU”) that combines Applied DNA’s proprietary molecular taggant and authentication technology with Colorcon’s portfolio of film coating systems, inks and color dispersions for use in solid oral dosage forms in the pharmaceutical and nutraceutical industries. The MOU is non-binding and is expected to be followed by a definitive agreement.

Colorcon is one of the biggest players in the pharmaceutical supply chain ecosystem, bringing their quality film coatings and other excipients directly into almost all of the large pharmaceutical companies in the world. As part of this licensing collaboration, the MOU provides for the Company to provide exclusive rights to Colorcon for utilizing its molecular taggant directly in their film coatings so that customers receive a seamless solution. The Company expects to sign the definitive agreement shortly, for which it will receive milestone payments, as well as revenue sharing for product sales and authentication services.

• On December 14, the Company announced the renewal of a contract to provide its SigNature® DNA via Safesolution SmartDNA AB, its Swedish Distributor, to a prestigious German car manufacturer to prevent vehicle theft. Safesolution SmartDNA AB has been Applied DNA’s Swedish distributor for the last seven years.
• On December 5, Applied DNA announced its intention to enter West Africa and Asia with its molecular tagging technology to prevent fertilizer adulteration, geographies that cumulatively account for over 60% of total global fertilizer consumption. Concurrently, the Company announced that in the Republic of Turkey, legislators have mandated DNA-tagging of all domestically produced fertilizer by January 1, 2018, and the use of secure packaging. To the Company’s knowledge, it is the only company to have publicly demonstrated the capacity to tag fertilizer at scale and successfully track it through all aspects of the supply chain. Turkey’s mandate comes in response to a series of acts of terror that utilized fertilizer-based explosives in Turkey in 2016. The Company believes that business activities in these geographies could serve as catalysts of sales in calendar 2018.
• On November 20, the Company announced that the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) had awarded it a one-year extension of its current contract to DNA-mark Federal Supply Class 5962 microcircuits through October 13, 2018. The extension ensured the uninterrupted support for FSC 5962 microcircuits, an award originally established at the DLA’s Land and Maritime facility in Columbus, OH in December 2014. To date, the Company has DNA-marked over 800,000 microcircuits.
• On November 3, Applied DNA announced that it was awarded U.S. patents on its SigNature® T Molecular Tag and Multimode Reader (MMR) Authentication device. The patents provide the Company with broad long-term market exclusivity; the MMR device paves the way for the instant authentication of a broad range of taggants, and licensing opportunities.
• On October 24, the Company signed a new CertainT® trademark license agreement with Palmetto Synthetics (Palmetto), a leader in the production of high quality, specialty synthetic fiber. The licensing agreement will enable Palmetto to reach its goals of bringing transparency to its own manufacturing processes, and also to provide its customers with traceability and trust in the original tagged synthetic fiber.
• On October 23, Applied DNA signed a new CertainT trademark license agreement with Techmer PM(Techmer), a respected producer of value added colors and additives for the plastic and fiber industries, and a long-standing customer of the Company’s SigNature T molecular tags. The expansion of the Company’s existing relationship with Techmer to include trademark licensing highlights the growing awareness and adoption of Applied DNA’s CertainT platform with a public-facing trademark that stands for authenticity, transparency and performance.
• On September 26, the Company entered into a strategic partnership with Videojet Technologies (Videojet). As part of their partnership, the companies have collaborated in the design of co-branded Applied DNA SigNature molecular-tagged Videojet inks and a co-branded printer that electronically restricts the use of ink cartridges to only those that contain SigNature DNA inks. This relationship brings the potential to empower the tagging of countless commercial items, all of which are candidates for a CertainT licensing agreement, enabling traceability along the entire supply chain. Subsequently, on November 28, the Company announced an exhibit of its new security print platform developed with Videojet at the Defense Manufacturing Conference 2017 (DMC 2017) in Tampa, FL.
• On September 12, Applied DNA announced the signing of a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (“CRADA”) with the U.S. Army Research, Development and Engineering Command’s Edgewood Chemical Biological Center (ECBC) to study the commercialization of ECBC’s innovative rapid, in-field DNA microarray technology for use in military and commercial supply chains. The Company views rapid, hand-held in-field DNA detection as essential to the long-term growth of its technology platform, and believes the ECBC’s innovative in-field DNA detection technology is a complement to its DNA authentication products for supply chain integrity capable of rapid detection anywhere, anytime, for global supply chains.

Fiscal Fourth Quarter 2017 Conference Call Information
The Company will hold a conference call and webcast to discuss its fiscal fourth quarter and year-end 2017 results on Thursday, December 28, 2017 at 4:30 PM ET. To participate on the conference call, please follow the instructions below. While every attempt will be made to answer investors’ questions on the Q&A portion of the call, due to the large number of expected participants, not all questions may be answered.

To Participate:

• Participant Toll Free:1-844-887-9402
• Participant Toll: 1-412-317-6798
• Please ask to be joined to the Applied DNA Sciences call

Live webcast: https://services.choruscall.com/links/apdn171205.html

Replay (available 1 hour following the conclusion of the live call through December 29, 2017):

• Participant Toll Free: 1-877-344-7529
• Participant Toll: 1-412-317-0088
• Participant Passcode: 10113295
• Webcast replay: https://services.choruscall.com/links/apdn171205.html

For those investors unable to attend the live call, a copy of the presentation is expected to be posted by end of business on December 28, 2017 and available under the ‘Presentations’ section of the company’s Investor Relations web site.

Information about Non-GAAP Financial Measures
As used herein, “GAAP” refers to accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America. To supplement our condensed consolidated financial statements prepared and presented in accordance with GAAP, this earnings release includes Adjusted EBITDA, which is a non-GAAP financial measure as defined in Rule 101 of Regulation G promulgated by the Securities and Exchange Commission. Generally, a non-GAAP financial measure is a numerical measure of a company’s historical or future performance, financial position, or cash flows that either excludes or includes amounts that are not normally excluded or included in the most directly comparable measure calculated and presented in accordance with GAAP. The presentation of this non-GAAP financial information is not intended to be considered in isolation or as a substitute for, or superior to, the financial information presented in accordance with GAAP. We use this non-GAAP financial measure for internal financial and operational decision making purposes and as a means to evaluate period-to-period comparisons of the performance and results of operations of our core business. Our management believes that these non-GAAP financial measures provide meaningful supplemental information regarding the performance of our business by excluding non-cash expenses that may not be indicative of our recurring operating results. We believe this non-GAAP financial measure is useful to investors as they allow for greater transparency with respect to key metrics used by management in its financial and operational decision making.

“EBITDA”- is defined as earnings (loss) before interest expense, income tax expense and depreciation and amortization expense.

“Adjusted EBITDA”- is defined as EBITDA adjusted to exclude (i) change in fair value of warrant liability, (ii) the loss on conversion of promissory notes, (iii) stock-based compensation and (iv) other non-cash expenses.

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^® 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.

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

Forward-Looking Statements
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.

Investor contact: Sanjay M. Hurry, 212-838-3777, LHA, shurry@lhai.com
Media contact: Susan Forman, Dian Griesel Int’l., 212-825-3210, sforman@dgicomm.com
Web: www.adnas.com, Twitter: @APDN

Financial Tables Follow

Applied DNA Sciences Inc. Consolidated Balance Sheets

	September 30, 2017	September 30, 2016
ASSETS
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	2,959,781	4,479,274
Accounts receivable, net of allowance of $10,000 and $32,965 at September 30, 2017 and 2016, respectively	2,587,969	6,374,895
Inventories	326,468	297,759
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	366,954	200,006
Total current assets	6,241,172	11,351,934
Property and equipment, net	523,688	792,499
Other assets:
Long term accounts receivables	–	1,535,000
Deposits	61,626	61,126
Deferred offering costs	–	13,986
Goodwill	285,386	285,386
Intangible assets, net	1,042,076	1,525,900
Total Assets	8,153,948	15,565,831
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	944,133	2,247,341
Deferred revenue	351,735	1,837,588
Total current liabilities	1,295,868	4,084,929
Long term accounts payable	–	215,500
Long term deferred revenue	–	900,000
Total liabilities	1,295,868	5,200,429
Commitments and contingencies
Stockholders’ Equity
Preferred stock, par value $0.001 per share; 10,000,000 shares authorized; -0- shares issued and outstanding as of September 30, 2017 and 2016	–	–
Series A Preferred stock, par value $0.001 per share; 10,000,000 shares authorized; -0- issued and outstanding as of September 30, 2017 and 2016	–	–
Series B Preferred stock, par value $0.001 per share; 10,000,000 shares authorized; -0- issued and outstanding as of September 30, 2017 and 2016	–	–
Common stock, par value $0.001 per share; 500,000,000 shares authorized; 27,377,057 and 24,078,756 shares issued and outstanding as of September 30, 2017 and 2016, respectively	27,377	24,079
Additional paid in capital	243,503,858	234,158,711
Accumulated deficit	(236,673,155	(223,817,388)
Total stockholders’ equity	6,858,080	10,365,402
Total Liabilities and Stockholders’ Equity	8,153,948	15,565,831

Applied DNA Sciences, Inc. Consolidated Statements of Operations

	Three Months Ended September 30, 2017	Three Months Ended September 30, 2016	Twelve Months Ended September 30, 2017	Twelve Months Ended September 30, 2016
Revenues:
Product revenues	$846,941	$1,381,168	3,733,995	$2,538,202
Service revenues	298,556	254,927	1,017,265	1,648,225
Total revenues	1,145,497	1,636,095	4,751,260	4,186,427
Cost of revenues	272,680	434,961	1,077,232	1,170,653
Operating expenses:
Selling, general and administrative	2,790,398	2,623,150	13,324,503	10,808,299
Research and development	524,746	839,238	2,282,362	3,700,837
Depreciation and amortization	400,519	148,528	887,305	706,496
Total operating expenses	3,715,663	3,610,916	16,494,170	15,215,632
LOSS FROM OPERATIONS	(2,842,846)	(2,409,782)	(12,820,142)	(12,199,858)
Other income (expense):
Interest income (expense), net	–	1,437	2,763	11,004
Other (expense) income, net	(11,832)	(6,731)	(38,388)	12,875
Net loss before provision for income taxes	(2,854,678)	(2,415,076)	(12,855,767)	(12,175,979)
Provision for income taxes	–	–	–	–
NET LOSS	$(2,854,678)	$(2,415,076)	$(12,855,767)	$(12,175,979)
Net loss per share-basic and diluted	$(0.10)	$(0.10)	$(0.49)	$(0.51)
Weighted average shares outstanding-  Basic and diluted	27,377,057	24,078,657	26,378,991	23,693,096

Applied DNA Sciences, Inc. Calculation and Reconciliation of Adjusted EBITDA

	Three Months Ended September 30, 2017	Three Months Ended September 30, 2016	Twelve Months Ended September 30, 2017	Twelve Months Ended September 30, 2016
Net Loss	$ (2,854,678)	$ (2,415,076)	$ (12,855,767)	$ (12,175,979)
Interest (income) expense, net	–	(1,437)	(2,763)	(11,004)
Depreciation and amortization	400,519	148,528	887,305	706,496
Stock based compensation expense	695,005	594,656	3,257,305	2,116,960
Bad debt expense	55,752	10,577	423,920	116,824
Total non-cash items	1,151,276	752,324	4,565,767	2,929,276
Consolidated Adjusted EBITDA (loss)	$(1,703,402)	$(1,662,752)	$(8,290,000)	$(9,246,703)