The purpose of the company is to acquire, manage, hold, and dispose of interests in companies of all kinds, both domestically and abroad, particularly in companies engaged in the development, production, marketing, and distribution of pharmaceutical and chemical products and services, as well as related industries. The company may establish branches and subsidiaries, both domestically and abroad, participate in other companies of any kind, both domestically and abroad, assume representations, and conduct any business activities and enter into any contracts that may be conducive to the company's purpose or that are directly or indirectly related to the company's purpose. The company may acquire, hold, manage, encumber, and sell real estate, both domestically and abroad. Excluded are transactions that are prohibited by the Federal Law on the Acquisition of Real Estate by Persons Abroad (BewG). The company is, in economic, organizational, and legal respects, part of a group of companies (conglomerate) and may take into account the legitimate interests of the group in pursuing its corporate purpose. Within the framework of legal provisions, the company aligns its activities with the conglomerate and, in doing so, also takes into particular account internal group instructions. In particular, the company may grant loans and other direct or indirect financings to its direct and indirect subsidiaries and to third parties, including its direct and indirect shareholders and their direct and indirect subsidiaries, within the framework of cash pooling agreements (including zero balancing), and provide securities of any kind for the liabilities of these parties, including by way of pledges on or fiduciary transfers of the company's assets or guarantees of any kind. This may also be done without consideration, on preferential terms, without interest, excluding the company's profit-seeking and/or assuming clustering risks.