The company's purpose is to research, develop and manufacture, as well as trade in biological or pharmaceutical products with therapeutic, diagnostic or research-related potential. In addition, the company may offer consulting services in the aforementioned business areas. The company may participate in other companies, acquire, exploit, manage and dispose of real estate and intellectual property rights, establish subsidiaries and branches in Switzerland and abroad, and perform all legal transactions that may be necessary or suitable to promote the development of the company or group companies. The company may provide direct or indirect financing to third parties, including companies in which it is directly or indirectly involved, and their direct or indirect subsidiaries, whether through loans or other financing, including within the framework of cash pooling agreements, and order securities of any kind for which it is liable, also through pledging or fiduciary transfer of the company's assets or through guarantees of any kind, whether for a fee or not.