Applied DNA Sciences, State Senator Kemp Hannon Host Demonstration of smartDNA to Help Protect Against Pharmacy Robbery
February 17 2012 - 8:30AM
Marketwired
Applied DNA Sciences (OTCBB: APDN), based in Long Island, New York,
is pleased to announce that its smartDNA anti-intruder mist system
is available as a tool to help counter the string of deadly
pharmacy robberies which have plagued Long Island in recent months.
The Chairman of the New York State Senate Standing Committee on
Health, Kemp Hannon, alongside Donald Cantalino, a Uniondale, Long
Island pharmacy owner, and Applied DNA Sciences President and CEO
Dr. James A. Hayward hosted a press conference and demonstration of
the smartDNA system at its first Long Island pharmacy installation
on Thursday February 16, 2012.
smartDNA, derived from plant DNA, helps to expand and strengthen
any security effort by providing a means of directly linking
criminals to crimes. In the event of a crime, the fleeing offender
is tagged with a DNA-marked fluorescing dye mist. Once the crime is
investigated, the DNA mark can assist police in linking the
offender and/or stolen items to a specific crime scene, creating a
matchless ability to identify and convict. DNA is accepted by
courts worldwide as absolute proof of identity.
Senator Hannon said, "This new state-of-the-art technology will
provide yet another tool to aid in the prevention of crimes, and
will assist law enforcement in the apprehension and convictions of
those who perpetrate them." He added: "You can track the person who
is robbing. So it improves security, and is almost invisible."
Commented Uniondale Pharmacy owner and pharmacist Donald
Cantalino, "It's one thing to be robbed; it's another thing to
catch the perpetrator. But if I can now catch the perpetrator and
convict him, those are all pieces of the puzzle. I embrace this
technology." (Credit: CBS Local)
Dr. James A. Hayward, President and CEO of Applied DNA Sciences,
addressing the media at the event, said: "We want our fellow Long
Islanders to feel safe in their local community. We are proud to be
able to offer our smartDNA system to regional pharmacies as a tool
that will be used as both a deterrent and state-of-the-art crime
fighting measure for local law enforcement.
The anti-intruder smartDNA spray system is already installed,
and will soon be on line and active in banks on Long Island, and is
used in Europe to help protect high-value goods such as in jewelry
stores. In addition, the DNA marker used in smartDNA is the same as
that in the Applied DNA Sciences system currently used in the
United Kingdom to help protect over one quarter of all the cash
being moved to and from banks in that country.
At the demonstration, Dr. Hayward expressed his "sorrow and
concern" for the families of pharmacy robbery victims, and the
"sense of disquiet among pharmacy customers and pharmacists." He
noted that, "as a company with deep roots in Long Island, we are
ready to add our system to the wider effort now underway to halt
these dreadful crimes. In the case of other crimes, our system
offers significant deterrence because of the threat DNA embodies to
criminals."
He pointed out that the system is available to help protect
retail and financial establishments of all kinds.
Senator Hannon has spearheaded an array of initiatives which aim
to treat the immediate pharmacy crime problem and its causes,
including improved treatment for addiction, prescriptive drug
tracking, and drug "take-back" programs. In a white paper, the
Senator underlined the scope of the problem, pointing out that in
2010, the last year statistics are available, 22 million
prescriptions for pain killers were issued in New York, a larger
number then the state's entire population of 19 million.
About APDN APDN sells patented 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. Our mark provides 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: Email Contact fax: 631-444-8848/ MEDIA
CONTACT: Mitchell Miller Email Contact FCMN Contact: Email Contact
Web site: http://www.adnas.com Twitter: @APDN, @APDNInvestor
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