James Hayward, chief executive, president and chairman, Applied DNA Sciences...

James Hayward, chief executive, president and chairman, Applied DNA Sciences Inc., security and anti-counterfeiting products, Stony Brook on April 25, 2011. Credit: Newsday / Thomas A. Ferrara

Applied DNA Sciences Inc., a Stony Brook company that makes anti-counterfeiting products with strands of DNA, has secured a $3 million contract with the U.S. Department of Defense.

The two-year deal with the Defense Logistics Agency calls for Applied DNA to demonstrate how its technology could be used on bearings, piping, tubing and other components of military equipment.

The contract is a key breakthrough for the company, which has struggled for a decade to turn a profit as it has developed anti-counterfeiting stamps using plant DNA that can be embedded on microchips, military equipment, cash, rare bottles of wine and other items.

Applied DNA has lost $1.9 million during the first six months of 2014. The company's stock rose 12.5 percent Thursday, to 12 cents.

Police are only addressing the supply, but demand is what fuels the illicit sex trade, experts say. Newsday political reporter Bahar Ostadan has the story. Credit: Newsday Staff

'If you don't address demand, you don't address the problem' Police are only addressing the supply, but demand is what fuels the illicit sex trade, experts say. Newsday political reporter Bahar Ostadan has the story.

Police are only addressing the supply, but demand is what fuels the illicit sex trade, experts say. Newsday political reporter Bahar Ostadan has the story. Credit: Newsday Staff

'If you don't address demand, you don't address the problem' Police are only addressing the supply, but demand is what fuels the illicit sex trade, experts say. Newsday political reporter Bahar Ostadan has the story.

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