Applied DNA, BLC Leather Technology Centre Ltd Announce Additional Sponsors to Develop Leather Traceability System

Scottish Leather Group and Tong Hong Expand Sponsorship to Seven Global Brands

STONY BROOK, N.Y.--()--Applied DNA Sciences, Inc. (“Applied DNA,” “the Company,” NASDAQ:APDN), is pleased to announce the addition of two sponsors to the Company’s leather traceability project with BLC Leather Technology Centre (BLC). The Research Project, initiated following the signing of a Research Agreement between the two companies, seeks to develop and validate a robust SigNature® T-based system to provide comprehensive and verifiable leather traceability, from farm to finished products.

With these new additions, the research project now totals seven sponsors, including C&J Clark International and PUMA SE, among other global brands. This Research Agreement follows a Memorandum of Understanding announced in August 2016 with BLC to set the standard for marked animal pelts and leather, building on Applied DNA’s work with cotton, wool and synthetic textiles.

Applied DNA Sciences and BLC Leather Technology Centre are pleased to announce two additional sponsors:

  • Scottish Leather Group Ltd are the largest manufacturer of leather in the United Kingdom.
    • The Group is composed of four leather manufacturing subsidiaries and a technology company, all located in the West of Scotland.
    • Scottish Leather Group Ltd. is a privately owned, independent company which was formed in 1965 and with more than 500 employees. Their specialist leathers are produced for a wide range of industries: automotive, furniture, marine, aviation, shoe and leather goods.
    • The Group’s export sales represent over 80% of turnover. The philosophy of Scottish Leather Group Ltd. is a desire to establish the highest industry standards for quality, innovation, value, service and care for the environment.
  • Tong Hong Tannery is the largest manufacturer of split leather in the world.
    • Founded in 1990 with manufacturing plants for split leather in Vietnam, South China and Indonesia they strive to consistently deliver quality split leather and service to the largest footwear brands in the world at an affordable price.
    • Tong Hong recognizes consumers’ demand for products that tell an eco-friendly story and are an industry leader in producing responsible leather with a recycled water usage rate of nearly 80%. Tong Hong Tannery has received LWG Gold Medals in all 3 locations.
    • It is through their vision that Tong Hong Tannery has become the largest split leather producer in the world.
    • Additionally Tong Hong offers a fully commercialized water-based Polyurethane-coating system that eliminates solvents.

“These addition of these new sponsors reflects the leather industry’s growing interest in a 100% secure supply chain for its products and an ongoing commitment to taking positive action to deal with environmental sustainability, animal welfare and supply chain risk management that are key issues for industrial participants and their customers,” said Tony Benson, EMEA Managing Director for Applied DNA.

“We expect additional sponsors may join this existing and pioneering project in the near future and would ask those interested to contact me at vikki@blcleathertech.com for further details,” said Victoria Addy, Technical Director of BLC.

For additional information on the leather research project, please contact:

Victoria Addy, Technical Director, BLC Leather Technology Centre
vikki@blcleathertech.com
Tel: +44 (0)1604 679999

About BLC Leather Technology Centre

BLC is the leading independent leather technology centre, working with hundreds of companies in over 40 countries. BLC are leather experts and deliver a range of leather related services such as testing, fault diagnosis, consulting, auditing, informational support and research. Established for over 90 years BLC has the technical pedigree in leather technology to ensure fast, accurate solutions to technical, management or environmental leather problems.

About Applied DNA

Applied DNA is a provider of DNA-based supply chain security, anti-counterfeiting and anti-theft technology solutions, 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 their authenticity, origin, traceability and quality. 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.

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 6, 2016, and our subsequent quarterly reports on Form 10-Q filed on February 9, 2017, and May 11, 2017 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.

Contacts

Investors:
LHAI
Sanjay Hurry, 212-838-3777
or
Media:
CGPR
Angie Mathews, 714-768-1140
or
Program:
EMEA Managing Director
Tony Benson, +44 7552 429341
or
Web: www.adnas.com
Twitter: @APDN

Release Summary

Applied DNA and BLC Leather Technology Centre, Ltd announce additional sponsors to develop leather traceability system.

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Contacts

Investors:
LHAI
Sanjay Hurry, 212-838-3777
or
Media:
CGPR
Angie Mathews, 714-768-1140
or
Program:
EMEA Managing Director
Tony Benson, +44 7552 429341
or
Web: www.adnas.com
Twitter: @APDN