Novartis AG is a holding company, which engages in the business of developing, manufacturing, and marketing healthcare products. The company is headquartered in Basel, Basel-Stadt and currently employs 76,057 full-time employees. The company went IPO on 2001-05-07. The firm develops, manufactures, and markets branded and generic prescription drugs, active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs), biosimilars and ophthalmic products. The firm uses science and digital technologies for treatments in the disease areas of immunology, dermatology, cancer, ophthalmology, neuroscience, respiratory, cardiovascular, renal and metabolism. The business activities of the Company are divided into two segments: Innovative Medicines, which includes innovative patent-protected prescription medicines for blood pressure, cancer and other ailments, and Sandoz, which includes generic pharmaceuticals and biosimilars.