Applied DNA Awarded Pooled Surveillance Testing Contract Valued at Up to $2.0 Million from Suffolk County (N.Y.) Government

Rhea-AI Summary

Applied DNA Sciences, Inc. (NASDAQ: APDN) announced that its subsidiary, Applied DNA Clinical Laboratories (ADCL), has been awarded a COVID-19 surveillance testing program with Suffolk County, valued at up to $2 million. This 6-month contract may extend based on testing demand. The initiative will provide County employees access to efficient testing, crucial for managing the ongoing pandemic. ADCL's partnership with CLEARED4 enhances program automation and compliance with health regulations, while the safeCircle™ program uses pooled testing to identify infections rapidly.

Positive

• Award of up to $2 million for COVID-19 testing program.
• Partnership with CLEARED4 for enhanced program automation.
• Provides efficient testing for County employees.

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• None.

Applied DNA Sciences, Inc. (NASDAQ: APDN) (“Applied DNA” or the "Company"), a leader in Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR)-based DNA manufacturing, today announced that its wholly-owned subsidiary, Applied DNA Clinical Laboratories, LLC (ADCL), has secured a safeCircle™ pooled COVID-19 surveillance testing program (the “Program”) award with a potential value of up to $2.0 million from the Suffolk County (N.Y.) Government (the “County”). The 6-month term and award value may be increased at the County’s discretion to meet additional testing demand.

“In Suffolk, we know that testing is key to containing the virus, and this new partnership with ADCL will provide all of our employees with the peace of mind they need to continue their critical work, as we are now fully embraced in the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone. “Our goal is to give our employees access to fast and convenient testing to ensure a healthy and safe work environment, and I encourage all County employees to take advantage of this new testing program.”

ADCL has partnered with N.Y.-based CLEARED4 to administer value-added services to the County by integrating CLEARED4’s platform with safeCircle’s surveillance testing modality to automate health safety. CLEARED4, a market-leading COVID-19 safety platform, is now integrated with ADCL’s laboratory operations. The partnership enables safeCircle’s clients to automate the management and monitoring of their testing programs and improve the communication of valuable health clearance information, thereby ensuring the adoption of and compliance with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and local COVID-19 regulations.

Commenting on the award with the County, Dr. James A. Hayward, president and CEO, Applied DNA, said, “40% of individuals who develop COVID-19 are asymptomatic, and as an essential workforce, County employees do not always have the luxury of working from home. Ongoing, consistent, and proactive pooled surveillance testing can help identify infected populations sooner and help protect co-workers, family members, and communities. As Suffolk County residents ourselves, we are honored to have the opportunity to contribute to the well-being of our neighbors.”

Weekly pooled surveillance testing is being conducted using anterior nasal swab collection systems pooled in groups of up to five individuals per test. Individuals in positive pools identified by the Program are referred for follow-on diagnostic testing under a referral testing agreement between ADCL and a certified laboratory. Per the current Centers for Disease Control guidelines, the result of all samples testing under the Program will be reported only in the aggregate and only to the County. Samples referred for follow-on diagnostic testing will be reported by the certified laboratory as per applicable laws and regulations.

About safeCircle™

ADCL’s pooled surveillance testing program, known as safeCircle™, utilizes frequent, high-sensitivity pooled testing to help prevent virus spread by quickly identifying infections within a community, school, or workplace. safeCircle provides 24-hour results using real-time PCR (RT-PCR) testing.

Click through to learn more about how safeCircle can help your community, school, and workplace: safeCircle

About the Linea^TM COVID-19 Assay Kit

The Linea™ COVID-19 Assay Kit is authorized by FDA EUA for the qualitative detection of nucleic acid from SARS-CoV-2 in respiratory specimens, including anterior nasal swabs, self-collected at a healthcare location or collected by a healthcare worker, and nasopharyngeal and oropharyngeal swabs, mid-turbinate nasal swabs, nasopharyngeal washes/aspirates or nasal aspirates, and bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) specimens collected by a healthcare worker from individuals who are suspected of COVID-19 by their healthcare provider. The scope of the Linea™ COVID-19 Assay Kit EUA, as amended, is expressly limited to use consistent with the Instructions for Use by authorized laboratories, certified under the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments of 1988 (CLIA) to perform high complexity tests. The EUA will be effective until the declaration that circumstance

FAQ

What is the value of the COVID-19 testing program awarded to Applied DNA (APDN)?

The program has a potential value of up to $2 million.

What is the duration of the COVID-19 testing program by Applied DNA (APDN)?

The program has a term of 6 months.

Who is partnering with Applied DNA for the COVID-19 testing program?

Applied DNA is partnering with CLEARED4 to administer the testing program.

What is the safeCircle™ program by Applied DNA (APDN)?

The safeCircle™ program is a pooled COVID-19 surveillance testing initiative to quickly identify infections.