Applied DNA Sciences Expands SigNature(R) T DNA System for Cotton Supply Chain Security by Six New Manufacturers of Pimacott and Homegrown Consumer Goods

STONY BROOK, NY--(Marketwired - March 08, 2016) - Applied DNA Sciences, Inc. (NASDAQ: APDN) (NASDAQ: APDNW) (Twitter: @APDN), a provider of DNA-based supply chain, anti-counterfeiting and anti-theft technology, product genotyping and product authentication solutions, has expanded its SigNature^® T DNA system for cotton supply chain security and traceability with new manufacturers of Pimacott™ and Homegrown™ consumer goods.

"We are very pleased to have on-boarded six new global manufacturers from areas that include India, China, and Turkey. The supply chain custody protocols and procedures, created by Applied DNA Sciences (APDN), have been implemented with the Pimacott- and Homegrown-trained teams, consistent with ISO 9001 quality management systems. These new manufacturers become part of the SigNature T DNA system that includes the secure storage, maintenance, monitoring, inspection, sampling and testing of all DNA-tagged fiber, yarn, fabric and finished goods," stated MeiLin Wan, VP Textiles, APDN.

These new manufacturers are already working with DNA-marked cotton produced in the 2015 ginning season. This unique, technology-enabled approach provides for proof of origin for the cotton used for the final goods, while preserving the purity from the source all the way to the consumer. With the expansion of the SigNature T DNA footprint, APDN continues to leverage its global team of technical and business associates and the recruitment of world-class industry partners.

"The most compelling reason to use SigNature T is that it automatically gives you source traceability or identity traceability (like US-grown, organically grown, or sustainably grown) for the cotton," notes Dr. James A. Hayward, Chairman, President & CEO, APDN. "DNA combined with our IT and control systems, provides end-to-end traceability; it tells you where your product comes from, as well as where it does not come from. With the integrated systems in place, each party in the supply chain can rely upon and audit prior parties in the supply chain to uphold the meaning of the SigNature T DNA."

"Retailers and brand owners can avoid the risk of dilution by cotton from countries that use forced adult or child labor," Dr. Hayward continued. "These retailers can be confident about the product claims that they make to their consumer about sustainability and ethical sourcing. It's field-proven. We have seen, in just one year, the product from one tagging program reach 500 stores. As a result of our growth in DNA supply from five million pounds of cotton in FY2014 to 100 million pounds in FY2015, we look forward to growth from 10 SKUs to 1,000 SKUs, as well as growth in the number of outlets from 500 to 1,700 stores in the US, Canada and Mexico. This framework provides a business model for growth in this market and future supply chain ventures."

About Applied DNA Sciences

We make life real and safe by providing botanical-DNA based security and authentication 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. Our patented DNA-based solutions can be used to identify, tag, track, and trace products, to help assure authenticity, traceability and quality of products. SigNature^® DNA describes the platform 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, 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. We are also engaged in the large-scale production of specific DNA sequences using the polymerase chain reaction.

Go to adnas.com for more information, events and to learn more about how Applied DNA Sciences makes life real and safe. Common stock listed on NASDAQ under the symbol APDN, and 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 14, 2015, and our subsequent quarterly report on Form 10-Q filed on February 10, 2016 which are 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.