Textile Industry Expert Joins Applied DNA Sciences, Inc.

Business Editors

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 20, 2003

Applied DNA Sciences, Inc. (OTCBB: APDN), a provider of proprietary embedded-DNA security solutions that protect corporate and government intellectual property from counterfeiting and fraud, today announced that textile industry expert Don Alexander will work with the company as a textile industry technical market advisor. Alexander will work closely with the company's recently opened east coast office in Henderson, North Carolina.

Alexander brings 18 years of extensive experience in the textile industry to Applied DNA Sciences, Inc. (Applied DNA Sciences.) He heads a technology innovation and commercialization firm, Anovotek, LLC, that specializes in technology development and commercialization in the textile industry. In 1999 he joined Guilford Mills as corporate vice president of technology, responsible for all aspects of technology, technical services, and research and development efforts. In addition to his responsibilities as vice president of technology at Guilford Mills, he also served for one year as vice president of manufacturing for the apparel and home fashions business unit. Prior, Alexander spent twelve years ending in 1999 at the Institute of Textile Technology, with his final position as director of research at ITT's Technology Transfer Center in Spartanburg, SC. While at ITT, he was director of chemical, energy, and environmental programs. Alexander was also heavily involved in an industry-wide technology development project between the textile industry and the Department of Energy (DOE) National Laboratories called the AMTEX Partnership. He received a Master of Science, Textiles from the Institute of Textile Technology and a B.S. in Textile Chemistry from Clemson University.

Commenting on the announcement, Larry Lee, chief executive officer of Applied DNA Sciences, stated, "We believe that there is a significant opportunity for Applied DNA Sciences in the textile industry due to the new embedded-DNA marker application that we are developing to help prevent counterfeiting of textile materials and finished goods. The addition of Don Alexander to our team adds tremendous resources and credibility within the textile industry. The knowledge, contacts, and respect that Don has garnered within the industry will be invaluable to our company as we begin to market our embedded-DNA biotechnology solutions to the textile industry."

Applied DNA Sciences recently announced that it is developing a cost-effective system to "mark" raw textile materials and finished goods. The DNA markers will remain embedded in fabric or yarn for more than 100 years. The DNA markers would identify both the country of origin as well as the specific factories where a garment and/or its components were produced. The DNA markers would also protect intellectual property, such as brands, designs, patterns, and trademarked products from counterfeiting and fraud.

About Applied DNA Sciences, Inc.

Applied DNA Sciences, Inc. provides proprietary embedded-DNA security solutions that verify authenticity and protect corporate and government agencies from counterfeiting, fraud, piracy, product diversion, and unauthorized intrusion. Applied DNA Sciences has an exclusive licensing and partnership agreement covering North America and Europe with Biowell Technology, Inc. (http://www.biowell.com.tw/eng/home.htm) of Taiwan. The company develops, markets, and sub-licenses DNA security systems, supply-chain management systems and anti-counterfeit solutions. Applied DNA Sciences' technology addresses the more than $350 billion of counterfeit products sold each year as well as the multi-billion dollar homeland security market. The company is headquartered at 9255 W. Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90069; Tel: [phone]; Fax: [phone] or visit www.ADNAS.com.

The statements made by Applied DNA Sciences, Inc. (the Company) may be forward-looking in nature and are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements describe the Company'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 Sciences, Inc. Actual results could differ materially from those projected due to changes in interest rates, market competition, changes in the local and national economies, and various other factors. The Company 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.