The purpose of the Company is the acquisition, administration and management of shareholdings and investments, in any form, in Swiss or foreign companies (excluding those with real estate activities in Switzerland, except for shareholdings in real estate companies not listed on a Swiss stock exchange), in particular in pharmaceutical companies and companies producing pharmaceutical active ingredients. The Company may also, in Switzerland and abroad: a. establish branches or subsidiaries; b. carry out, for its own account or for the account of third parties, any financial, commercial, movable or immovable property transactions directly or indirectly connected with the corporate purpose or deemed suitable to promote it; in particular, within the limits permitted by law, acquire, manage, exploit and dispose of immovable property (with the exception of immovable property not intended for commercial use); c. grant loans and other forms of financing to the benefit of shareholders, group companies or third parties, as well as provide guarantees of any nature to their direct or indirect benefit, in particular in the form of sureties, pledges or fiduciary transfers of the Company's assets.