Better Health for All

Applied DNA Sciences' core activities, as evidenced, demonstrate a strong commitment to health improvement. The company produces DNA for biopharmaceuticals (mRNA, CRISPR therapies), develops diagnostic tests for H5N1 bird flu and COVID-19, and provides components for CAR T-cell therapy for acute myeloid leukemia (AML).

All these offerings deliver substantial health benefits, with no evidence of products having negative health impacts. The company's development of a freeze-dried COVID-19 vaccine candidate for felines and diagnostic tests for H5N1 bird flu and COVID-19 highlights a strategic focus on preventative health measures. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the company significantly increased its COVID-19 testing levels, securing a $35.0 million contract with CUNY for weekly testing ranging from 20,000 to 65,000 tests, demonstrating substantial contributions to global health crisis response. The company's Linea DNA is a key component in a non-viral manufacturing process for a Phase I clinical trial of a CAR T-cell therapy for AML, which received approval from the State Institute for Drug Control of the Czech Republic, indicating adherence to ethical standards in clinical research.

Fair Money & Economic Opportunity

Applied DNA Sciences, Inc. is a biotechnology company focused on DNA-based security, authentication, and diagnostic/therapeutic products.

The provided articles and company description do not indicate that the company offers any lending, deposit, or other financial services to consumers. Therefore, all KPIs related to fair money and economic opportunity, which assess financial institutions' practices, are not applicable to APDN.US.

Fair Trade & Ethical Sourcing

No specific, concrete data points were found in the provided articles for any of the Fair Trade & Ethical Sourcing KPIs.

The articles primarily discuss Applied DNA Sciences' products and services related to supply chain traceability and compliance with regulations like the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA), rather than detailing the company's own ethical sourcing practices, certifications, audit frequencies, or incident records. Therefore, all KPIs are omitted due to lack of evidence.

Honest & Fair Business

The company's Code of Business Conduct and Ethics, established in July 2013, includes an anonymous method for employees to report suspected violations without fear of retribution or retaliation.

However, there is no evidence of independent investigation processes for these reports. The Code also states that bribery, kickbacks, or other improper payments have no place in the business and that the company complies with laws related to influencing government officials, but it lacks clear guidance on specific thresholds for gifts or facilitation payments. As of the fiscal year ended September 30, 2024, five out of six (83.33%) of the company's directors were determined to be independent according to Nasdaq listing standards.

Kind to Animals

Applied DNA Sciences utilizes preclinical animal testing for its COVID-19 vaccine candidates, with five candidates shipped to Takis Biotech for testing in mice.

The company also plans to use LNP LinearDNA vaccine designs in upcoming preclinical animal studies and conducted a veterinary trial of a COVID-19 vaccine candidate in domestic felines. While some testing involves cells in culture, animal models are also used for neutralization testing. The company's policy is not explicitly stated, but routine animal testing is evident in its vaccine development. The company collaborates with Takis Biotech on vaccine development, which involves animal testing, and has a research agreement with Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine to advance LinearDNA-based vaccine research for animal diseases with agricultural biosecurity implications. The company is seeking a USDA APHIS conditional license for a feline COVID-19 vaccine. The company's operations have noted the impact of the COVID-19 virus on farmed mink populations, leading to the collapse of Denmark's $800 million mink fur industry, but there is no evidence of the company's own animal agriculture operations or ethical practices.

No War, No Weapons

Applied DNA Sciences' core technologies, including LinearDNA and SigNature® DNA marking, are explicitly stated to have dual-use applications, serving both civilian markets (e.g., textile traceability, anti-counterfeiting, diagnostics, drug development)

and military applications (e.g., DLA mandate for microchips, U.S. Army chemical/biological warfare defense, Missile Defense Agency). This indicates that the company's technology development is split between civilian and military uses. Regarding conflict minerals, the company's technology is mentioned in the context of a DLA mandate requiring botanical DNA marking of microchips, and DHS identified DNA traceability as evidence for UFLPA compliance to prevent forced labor goods. However, there is no specific data on the percentage of Applied DNA Sciences' own supply chain that is certified conflict-free.

Planet-Friendly Business

No publicly available data was found for any of the planet-friendly business metrics, including greenhouse gas emissions, renewable energy usage, water consumption, waste diversion, or climate targets.

The company is also not participating in any tracked reduction initiatives or disclosure networks.

Safe & Smart Tech

The company has no documented incidents of unauthorized data use and states it maintains reasonable security procedures, aligning with standard data governance.

Users can opt out of commercial emails and request account cancellation and data removal via email, with opt-out requests potentially taking up to 10 days to be effective, indicating moderate data control options with some friction. For authentication, the company mentions only login and password, with no evidence of multi-factor authentication (MFA) options, which is considered weak authentication for sensitive data. The company reports a cybersecurity program aligned with the NIST Cybersecurity Framework, conducts periodic risk assessments, and performs ongoing monitoring through vulnerability scans and penetration tests, which aligns with standard vulnerability management practices. The company collects contact, financial, and activity data, and retains it as long as an account is active or as needed for legal obligations, suggesting limited data minimization practices with 5-7 year retention periods. Applied DNA Sciences complies with FDA 21 CFR Parts 210, 211, and 820, and adheres to FDA's current Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMP) and ISO regulatory guidelines for medical devices, indicating good compliance with applicable regulations. The company states it maintains reasonable security procedures to protect information, but there is no explicit mention of privacy-by-design principles. The company conducts ongoing monitoring through regular vulnerability scans and penetration tests, which is typical for security testing coverage.