Applied DNA Implements safeCircle™ COVID-19 Testing Program at Sarah Lawrence College

Rhea-AI Summary

Applied DNA Sciences (NASDAQ: APDN) has launched its COVID-19 testing program, safeCircle™, at Sarah Lawrence College to monitor virus prevalence among its population of 2,000 individuals. This program complements the College’s vaccine mandate and features on-site sample collection with quick turnaround times for test results. Mike Munzer from Applied DNA emphasized the importance of testing in light of the Delta variant's transmissibility. The safeCircle program utilizes high-sensitivity pooled RT-PCR testing, aiming to enhance safety on campus.

Positive

• Launch of safeCircle™ COVID-19 testing program at Sarah Lawrence College, enhancing campus safety.
• Testing program complements vaccine mandate, addressing both vaccinated and unvaccinated populations.
• High-sensitivity RT-PCR testing with rapid results aids in quick infection identification.

Negative

• Dependence on the effectiveness of the safeCircle program amidst the evolving COVID-19 landscape.
• Potential uncertainties surrounding the long-term utility and acceptance of the Linea Assay Kit for future testing needs.

STONY BROOK, N.Y.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Applied DNA Sciences, Inc. (NASDAQ: APDN) (Applied DNA or the “Company”), a leader in Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR)-based DNA manufacturing and nucleic acid-based technologies, announced that safeCircle™, its high-throughput, pooled COVID-19 testing program, has been implemented at Sarah Lawrence College (the “College”) as an addition to the College’s in-house testing practice to monitor for the prevalence of COVID-19 during the College’s Fall 2021 semester. Testing began this week and is available to asymptomatic students, faculty, and staff on a voluntary basis. The College’s population of approximately 2,000 undergraduate and graduate students, faculty, and staff are required to be vaccinated against COVID-19.

Mary Hartnett, Director of Medical Services at Sarah Lawrence College, stated, “safeCircle was our choice given the convenience of its on-site sample collection process, access to high-sensitivity RT-PCR-based testing with rapid turnaround times, ability to scale with our needs, and capacity to ease our administrative burdens. We see safeCircle as a complement to our vaccine mandate.”

Mike Munzer, executive director of Diagnostic Sales at Applied DNA, said, “The increased transmissibility of the Delta variant, as well as the variant’s capacity to reduce the effectiveness of vaccines against infection, we believe, makes all the more compelling the need to test both vaccinated and unvaccinated populations. safeCircle’s approach to COVID-19 testing, the combination of a comprehensive managed services offering and self-service reporting and communications platform provided by our partner, CLEARED4, continues to resonate with institutes of higher education seeking to keep populations safe and campuses open. We applaud Sarah Lawrence College for making testing broadly available on its campus to asymptomatic employees and students.”

About safeCircle™

safeCircle is a turnkey testing solution that provides for all aspects of large population COVID-19 testing – from sample collection to results reporting – for institutes of higher education, K-12 schools, businesses, and healthcare facilities, among other institutions with large populations. safeCircle utilizes frequent, high-sensitivity pooled RT-PCR testing to help prevent virus spread by quickly identifying infections within a community, school, or workplace. Testing is conducted utilizing Applied DNA’S Linea™ COVID-19 Assay Kit that provides rapid results using real-time PCR (RT-PCR testing) with results returned typically within 24 to 48 hours at Applied DNA’s CLEP-permitted, CLIA-certified laboratory.

Click through to learn more about how safeCircle can help your community, school, and workplace: https://adnas.com/safecircle-college-safety/

About Applied DNA Sciences

Applied DNA is commercializing LinearDNA™, its proprietary, large-scale polymerase chain reaction (“PCR”)-based manufacturing platform that allows for the large-scale production of specific DNA sequences.

The LinearDNA platform has utility in the nucleic acid-based in vitro diagnostics and preclinical nucleic acid-based drug development and manufacturing market. The platform is used to manufacture DNA for customers as components of in vitro diagnostic tests and for preclinical nucleic acid-based drug development in the fields of adoptive cell therapies (CAR T and TCR therapies), DNA vaccines (anti-viral and cancer), RNA therapies, clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) based therapies, and gene therapies.

The LinearDNA platform also has non-biologic applications, such as supply chain security, anti-counterfeiting and anti-theft technology. Key end-markets include textiles, pharmaceuticals and nutraceuticals, and cannabis, among others.

Leveraging its deep expertise in nucleic acid-based technologies, the Company has also established safeCircle™, a pooled COVID-19 testing program that is grounded in the Company’s EUA-authorized Linea™ COVID-19 Assay Kit. safeCircle is designed to look for infection within defined populations or communities utilizing pooled testing methodologies that increase testing efficiencies. The Company has also developed and intends to seek EUA-authorization for its Linea™ SARS-CoV-2 Mutation Panel, an assay-based panel for the detection of certain SARS-CoV-2 genetic mutations.

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The Company’s common stock is listed on NASDAQ under the ticker symbol ‘APDN,’ and its publicly traded warrants are listed on the OTCexchange under the ticker symbol ‘APPDW.’

Applied DNA is a member of the Russell Microcap® Index.

Forward-Looking Statements

The statements made by Applied DNA in this press release may be "forward-looking" in nature within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and the Private Securities Litigation Reform 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 its history of net losses, limited financial resources, limited market acceptance (including for our COVID-19 diagnostic and other testing offerings), the unknown amount of revenues and profits that will result from our safeCircle COVID-19 testing contracts, the possibility that the Linea Assay Kit could become obsolete or have its utility diminished, the uncertainties inherent in research and development, future clinical data and analysis, including whether any of Applied DNA's or its partner's diagnostic candidates will advance further in the preclinical research or clinical trial process, including receiving clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (U.S. FDA) or equivalent foreign regulatory agencies to conduct clinical trials and whether and when, if at all, they will receive final approval from the U.S. FDA or equivalent foreign regulatory agencies, the unknown outcome of any applications or requests to U.S. FDA, equivalent foreign regulatory agencies and/or the New York State Department of Health, the unknown limited duration of any Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) approval from U.S. FDA, changes in guidance promulgated by the CDC, U.S. FDA and/or CMS relating to COVID-19 testing, disruptions in the supply of raw materials and supplies, 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 17, 2020, and Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q filed on February 11, 2021, May 13, 2021 and August 12, 2021, and other reports we file with the SEC, 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 or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events unless otherwise required by law.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211012005773/en/

For Applied DNA:

Investor Contact: Sanjay M. Hurry, 917-733-5573, sanjay.hurry@adnas.com

Program Contact: Mike Munzer, 631-240-8814, mike.munzer@adnas.com

Web: www.adnas.com

Twitter: @APDN

Source: Applied DNA Sciences, Inc.

FAQ

What is the safeCircle program by Applied DNA Sciences (NASDAQ: APDN)?

The safeCircle program is a COVID-19 testing solution designed for large populations that offers high-sensitivity pooled RT-PCR testing with rapid results.

When did the COVID-19 testing at Sarah Lawrence College begin?

The COVID-19 testing program began during the Fall 2021 semester.

How many individuals are involved in the testing program at Sarah Lawrence College?

Approximately 2,000 undergraduate and graduate students, faculty, and staff at Sarah Lawrence College are involved in the testing.

What are the testing capabilities of safeCircle?

safeCircle utilizes high-throughput pooled RT-PCR testing aimed at quickly identifying infections to prevent virus spread.

What impact does the Delta variant have on the COVID-19 testing strategy of Applied DNA (NASDAQ: APDN)?

The increased transmissibility of the Delta variant necessitates testing of both vaccinated and unvaccinated populations, making the safeCircle program more critical.