STONY BROOK, N.Y.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–$APDN #COVID19–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. (Read more…) 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 LineaTM 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 circumstances exist justifying the authorization of the emergency use of in vitro diagnostics for detection and/or diagnosis of COVID-19 is terminated or until the EUA’s prior termination or revocation. The diagnostic kit has not been FDA cleared or approved, and the EUA’s limited authorization is only for the detection of nucleic acid from SARS-CoV-2, not for any other viruses or pathogens.
The Company is offering surveillance testing in compliance with current CDC, FDA, and CMS guidances. The use of saliva and pooled sampling for surveillance testing, which has been internally validated by the Company in compliance with current surveillance testing guidances, is not included in the Company’s EUA authorization for the Linea™ COVID-19 Assay Kit.
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 pre-clinical nucleic acid-based therapeutic drug candidates.
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The Company’s common stock is listed on NASDAQ under ticker symbol ‘APDN’, and its publicly traded warrants are listed on OTC under 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, 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 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 guidances promulgated by the CDC, FDA and/or CMS relating to COVID-19 surveillance 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 12, 2019 and our subsequent quarterly reports on Form 10-Q filed on February 6, 2020, May 14, 2020 and August 6, 2020, 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.
Contacts
Investor contact: Sanjay M. Hurry, Applied DNA Sciences, 917-733-5573, sanjay.hurry@adnas.com
Program contact: Mike Munzer, Applied DNA Sciences, 631-240-8814, mike.munzer@adnas.com
Web: www.adnas.com, https://adnas.com/covid-19-surveillance-testing/
Twitter: @APDN