SMT Corporation Will Mark Microchips With SigNature DNA
December 12 2011 - 8:30AM
Marketwired
Applied DNA Sciences, Inc. (OTCBB: APDN) announces that highly
regarded microchip distributor SMT Corporation will join APDN in a
groundbreaking anti-counterfeiting pilot program, sponsored by an
agency of the U.S. Department of Defense.
SMT, internationally known for its highly sophisticated
authenticity testing, quality controls and parts-assurance program,
will use the APDN SigNature DNA® product to verify the downstream
inspection integrity of the microchips it sells to its large and
distinguished client base. The DNA codes will certify that a part
or other chips in the same lot has passed SMT's rigorous testing.
This new system of parts assurance, raised to a forensic level by
DNA marking, will be a first in the electronics industry.
Tom Sharpe, SMT Vice-President and co-founder, is an
acknowledged thought leader in the industry, and a pathfinder in
anti-counterfeiting intelligence, uncovering the newest and
ever-changing tactics of counterfeiters.
SMT will be joining an eighteen-month, second-phase pilot
program sponsored by the Defense Logistics Agency. The pilot is
demonstrating APDN's technology at commercial scale.
The entrance of SMT into the pilot comes on the heels of an
amendment passed by the U.S. Senate to significantly strengthen
protections against the wave of counterfeit electronic parts coming
into the defense supply system. The amendment would require, among
many other provisions, that military suppliers deploy counterfeit
detection and avoidance systems such as the one under pilot. The
amendment passed on November 29 and will next move to the
House.
The expanded pilot program will now demonstrate the delivery of
what Dr. James A. Hayward, President and CEO of APDN, calls a
"one-two punch." Until now, the pilot program has concentrated on
newly minted microchips, showing that DNA marking in production
makes it possible to identify unequivocally the originality of
microchips all along the supply chain. In this way, the system
ferrets out those chips which have been altered by unknown third
parties. Electronics firms, sub-assembly suppliers, weapons
manufacturers or the DOD, all of which use the chips in their
products, can then forensically test the DNA code. Rapid reading
techniques permit the chips to be screened for APDN's marks in
seconds.
Now SMT will also use the same APDN SigNature DNA product on
existing chips. The mark will certify the results of the SMT
screening process for microchips already in circulation and
provided to SMT's defense and aerospace customers.
Dr. Hayward continued: "We believe our partnership with SMT
Corporation is, for counterfeiters, very bad news. They will have
to contend with the cutting edge integrity testing and overall
strategic intelligence of SMT, combined with our uncopyable,
unbreakable SigNature DNA platform."
Hearings conducted by the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee
on November 8 exposed the scale and danger of counterfeit
electronics in the military supply. In their aftermath, the
hearings have underscored the urgency of stepping up the battle
against counterfeit electronics. In remarks at those hearings,
Senator Carl Levin vowed to take immediate and concrete action.
Levin stated "...we are going to build our wall against
counterfeits."
SMT's Sharpe praised the APDN SigNature DNA platform as "the
most promising technology in the fight against counterfeits. When
newly produced microchips are marked with DNA throughout the
industry, we will have our reliable wall of prevention."
Sharpe also noted:
"As counterfeiters have unleashed newer techniques to thwart
detection, it is critical that the industry responds with new,
highly sophisticated counter-measures. Applied DNA Sciences' DNA
marking is a reply in kind, including raising the level of
downstream assurance on our own anti-counterfeit technologies as
performed at SMT."
About SMT
Founded in 1995, SMT Corporation is a global, broad line
Independent stocking distributor of electronic components and
related peripherals. With more than 1 billion components in stock
representing over 600 major component manufacturers, it maintains
one of the largest "ready to ship" electronic component inventories
in the world.
SMT strives to provide the highest quality value-added services
directly to OEMs, and CEM providers as well as both franchised and
non-franchised distributors.
About APDN
APDN sells patent-protected DNA security solutions to protect
products, brands and intellectual property from counterfeiting and
diversion. SigNature DNA is a botanical mark used to authenticate
products in a unique manner that essentially cannot be copied, and
provide a forensic chain of evidence that can be used to prosecute
perpetrators. To learn more, go to www.adnas.com where APDN
routinely posts all press releases.
The statements made by APDN may be forward-looking in nature.
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 8, 2011 and our subsequent
quarterly reports on Form 10-Q. 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.
INVESTOR CONTACT: Debbie Bailey 631-444-8090 fax: 631-444-8848
MEDIA CONTACT: Mitchell Miller fax: 631-444-8848 Email Contact FCMN
Contact: Email Contact Web site: http://www.adnas.com Twitter:
@APDN, @APDNInvestor
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