Vaccine development board game

Abstract

The instant disclosure relates to a board game that explains and teaches vaccine development. The board game seeks to provide a teaching tool that can be played by one or more players. Player tokens are positioned at a starting position on a game board that includes a scoring track and a turn counting track. Each player token is assigned pay coins and a turn token is positioned on a turn counting track. Initial conditions are recorded on disease boards. At each turn, the players each initiate an action phase; a vaccine production phase; and a vaccine sales phase. The action phase is initiated by executing three randomly selected actions from a group. Vaccine sales are initiated by identifying a best-in-class vaccine for each disease board. For each best-in-class vaccine, the associated player token is advanced along the scoring track based on the number of distributed vaccine units representing the immunization points.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for a board game to explain and teach how vaccines are developed, comprising:
 positioning at least one player token at a starting position on a game board, the game board comprising a scoring track and a turn counting track, the scoring track comprising a first sequentially numbered track, the turn counting track comprising a second sequentially numbered track, the starting position is positioned on the scoring track, each player token associated with a player;   for each player token, assigning a predetermined amounts of pay coins;   positioning a turn token at an initial turn position on the turn counting track;   for each of a plurality of disease boards that each represent a disease, recording initial conditions that consist of a vaccine needs value, target antigen value, base vaccine price value, and combo incompatibility value;   for each position on the turn counting track,
 each player initiating an action phase by executing three actions randomly selected from a group consisting of purchasing research reagents, acquiring a technology or expertise, performing a tox study, performing a clinical study, increasing production capacity, launching a new vaccine into the market, and removing a vaccine from the market; 
 subsequent to the action phase, each player initiating a vaccine production phase comprising recording vaccine production unit values and player's vaccine price values on vaccine development cards to thereby generate a plurality of marketable vaccines; 
 subsequent to the vaccine production phase, each player initiating a vaccine sales phase comprising identifying a best-in-class vaccine for each disease board, the best-in-class vaccine is the marketable vaccine that comprises a highest vaccine efficacy value against a disease of the disease board; and 
 for each best-in-class vaccine, advancing the associated player token along the scoring track according to the vaccine production unit value of the vaccine development card; reducing the vaccine needs value of the targeted disease board; and 
 advancing the turn token on the turn counting track sequentially. 
   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein
 the vaccine needs value is determined by rolling a six-sided vaccine needs dice that comprises a plurality of values that consist of 20, 30, and 40 randomly positioned on its sides;   the target antigen value is a three-digit value comprising a hundreds place, a tens place, and a ones place;   the target antigen value is determined by rolling a first ten-sided antigen dice for the hundreds place, a second ten-sided antigen dice for the tens place, and a third ten-sided antigen dice for the ones place, the first ten-sided antigen dice comprises randomly positioned consecutive numerical values that consist of 0-9 on its sides, the second ten-sided antigen dice comprises the randomly positioned consecutive numerical values on its sides, the third ten-sided antigen dice comprises the randomly positioned consecutive numerical values on its sides;   the base vaccine price value is determined by rolling a six-sided vaccine price dice that comprises a plurality of values that consist of 50, 50, 60, 80, 100, and 120 randomly positioned on its sides; and   the combo incompatibility value is determined by rolling a six-sided incompatibility dice that comprises a first indicium, a second indicium, a third indicium, a fourth indicium, and a null value randomly positioned in its sides, the first indicium excludes additions in the vaccine antigenic formula of a combo vaccine, the second indicium excludes multiplications in the vaccine antigenic formula of a combo vaccine, the third indicium excludes subtractions in the vaccine antigenic formula of a combo vaccine, the fourth indicium excludes divisions in the vaccine antigenic formula of a combo vaccine, and the null value indicates the absence of constraints to formulate the vaccine antigenic formula of a combo vaccine.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein
 purchasing research reagents comprises purchasing up to three research reagents using the pay coins;   acquiring the technology or expertise comprises purchasing one of a plurality of technology and expertise (T&E) cards using the pay coins;   performing the tox study comprises:
 purchasing an animal toxicology study card at a first toxicology price or an invitro toxicology study card at a second toxicology price using the pay coins, the second toxicology price is greater than the first toxicology price; 
 rolling a six-sided toxicology dice that comprises 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 randomly positioned thereon to determine a toxicology value (“TV”) and recording the TV on one of the vaccine development cards; 
   performing the clinical study comprises:
 purchasing a phase I/II study or a phase III study using the pay coins, rolling a plurality of six-sided clinical study dice that each comprise three success indicia and three failure indicia randomly positioned thereon to determine a clinical result, the clinical result reflects success when at least one of the clinical study dice reflects the success indicium when rolled, the clinical result reflects failure when all of the clinical study dice reflect the failure indicium when rolled; 
 validating the vaccine development card associated when the clinical study result reflects success; 
   increasing production capacity comprises purchasing up to two production units;   launching the new vaccine on the market, when the phase III study is associated with the success clinical result, comprises designating the vaccine development card as a marketable vaccine; and   removing the vaccine from the market comprises designating the marketable vaccine as an under-performing vaccine that requires optimization or cancelation.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein
 the plurality of technology and expertise cards (“T&E cards”) comprise:
 a first T&E card to obtain a plurality of research reagents at no cost each turn; 
 a second T&E card that develops a combo vaccine by bypassing any incompatibility constraints; 
 a third T&E card that allows the purchasing of more than 2 production units per action to promptly increase a player's manufacturing capacity; 
 a fourth T&E card that waives a toxicology evaluation; 
 a fifth T&E card that provides two production units and expands production capacity to six extra units; 
 a sixth T&E card that allows a reroll of the clinical study dice when a vaccine study fails; 
 a seventh T&E card that reduces preclinical study cost by a predetermined study cost percentage; 
 an eighth T&E card that adds one public opinion point each turn; 
 a ninth T&E card that increases vaccine efficacy by a predetermined efficacy percentage; 
 a tenth T&E card that launches a vaccine and does not count as an action; 
 an eleventh T&E card that allows a reroll of the toxicology dice to select the highest result as the toxicology value; 
 a twelfth T&E card that grants an exclusive access to a new research reagent (value of 3); 
 a thirteenth T&E card that develops antigenic formulas by adding research reagent values; 
 a fourteenth T&E card that develops antigenic formulas by multiplying research reagent values; 
 a fifteenth T&E card that develops antigenic formulas by subtracting research reagent values; 
 a sixteenth T&E card that develops antigenic formulas by dividing research reagent values; 
 a seventeenth T&E card that files or withdraws patents and does not count as an action; 
 an eighteenth T&E card that provides the ability to file more than one patent; 
 a nineteenth T&E card that increases vaccine stability by a predetermined value for all the vaccines developed by a player; 
 a twentieth T&E card that reduces by at least one day the accessibility of each region; and 
 a twenty-first T&E card that reduces the cost of the vaccine stability cards by a predetermined cost percentage. 
   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein
 the vaccine efficacy value is 100 minus an antigenic difference;   the antigenic difference is a positive difference of the target antigen value of a disease and a vaccine antigen value; and   the vaccine antigen value is determined via an antigenic formula that comprises the purchased research reagents arranged as described in the owned T&E cards.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein
 performing the toxicology study comprises:
 when the animal toxicology study card is purchased, rolling the six-sided toxicology study dice, removing one of the clinical dice from clinical testing when TV is 1, or adding an additional clinical dice during clinical testing when TV is 6; and 
 when the in vitro toxicology study card is purchased, rolling the six-sided toxicology study dice, removing one of the clinical dice from clinical testing when TV clinical study dice is 1 or 2, adding an additional clinical dice during clinical testing when TV is 5 or 6. 
   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein
 recording the vaccine production unit values comprises, for each marketable vaccine:
 determining a vaccine production unit value that equals at least a portion of a sum of production units available to the player; 
 recording the determined vaccine production unit value; 
   recording the player's vaccine price values comprises, for each marketable vaccine:
 when one marketable vaccine is available, determining the player's vaccine price value to be a multiple of 10 and at least equal to 100; and 
 when more than one marketable vaccine is available, determining each of the player's vaccine price values to be a multiple of 10 and at least equal to 20, a summation of the player's vaccine price values is at least 100. 
   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein
 identifying the best-in-class vaccine comprises:
 comparing vaccine efficacy values of marketable vaccines for one of the disease boards and identifying the highest vaccine efficacy value; 
 when vaccine efficacy values are equal, a lowest player's vaccine price value determines the best-in-class vaccine; 
 when vaccine efficacy values and associated player's vaccine price values are equal, a greatest public opinion score determines the best-in-class vaccine; 
 when vaccine efficacy values, associated player's vaccine price values, and public opinion scores are equal, a greatest toxicology value (TV) determines the best-in-class vaccine; and 
 when vaccine efficacy values, associated player's vaccine price values, public opinion scores and TV values are equal, the highest toxicology dice result determines the best-in-class vaccine. 
   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein
 identifying the best-in-class vaccine comprises:
 selling the best-in-class vaccine for pay coins for a sales value that is determined using the vaccine production unit value and the player's vaccine price value; and 
 reducing the vaccine needs value of the targeted disease by the vaccine production unit value. 
   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 each player receiving a public opinion board or a public opinion dial:   the public opinion dial comprises:
 a first window that displays a public opinion point count; 
 a second window that displays sales impact values; 
   wherein
 the public opinion dial displays the public opinion point count and the sales impact value; 
 rotating the public opinion dial simultaneously advances or decreases the public opinion point count and the sales impact values or percentages; 
 the public opinion point count increases by at least one when the player's vaccine price value is less than the base vaccine price value; 
 the public opinion point count decreases by at least one when the player's vaccine price value is greater than the base vaccine price value; 
 the sales impact values are negative when the public opinion point count is less than a threshold amount; and 
 the vaccine production unit value is reduced by negative sales impact values. 
   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein
 the vaccine development phase comprises a combo vaccine comprised one of the vaccine development cards that target two of the disease boards;   the combo vaccine comprises:
 a combo base vaccine price that consists of the greatest base vaccine price value of the two disease boards; and 
 a combo vaccine production unit that is the double of the vaccine unit value defined on the vaccine development card. 
   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein
 an end point is reached when one of following occurs:
 when the vaccine needs value of each of the disease boards equals zero; 
 when the turn token is advances a final turn position on the turn counting track; or 
 when one of the player tokens is advanced to a final scoring position on the scoring track; 
   when the end point is reached, a victor is identified as the player that comprises a greatest summation of victory points;   each immunization point equals one victory point;   each marketable vaccine equals five victory points;   each owned T&E card equals two victory points; and   a public opinion score equal or superior to 9 grants 5 victory points.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein
 subsequent to advancing the turn token,
 determining a disease mutation by rolling the six-sided outbreak vaccine needs dice; 
 updating the outbreak vaccine needs when the outbreak vaccine needs dice results in 20 or 30; and 
 updating the outbreak vaccine needs and initiating an external funding program when the outbreak vaccine needs dice results in 40, the external funding program comprising a predetermined amount of pay coins that are allotted to one of the players that generates a best-in-class outbreak vaccine within two subsequent turns. 
   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 updating the outbreak target antigen value when the outbreak vaccine needs dice results in a non-numerical value by rolling a six-sided outbreak mutation dice that comprises two primary drift indicia, a secondary drift indicium, a shift indicium, and two null values randomly positioned in its sides;   rolling the third antigen dice to update the ones place when the primary drift indicium results;   rolling the second antigen dice and the third antigen dice to update the tens place and the ones place respectively when the secondary drift indicium results; and   rolling the first antigen dice to update the hundreds place when the shift indicium results.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 subsequent to updating the outbreak target antigen value, updating the outbreak vaccine needs value by rolling the six-sided outbreak vaccine needs dice until 20, 30, or 40 results.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein
 the vaccine development phase further comprises:
 applying for a patent by recording the antigenic formula; 
 paying a filing fee using the pay coins; 
 rolling a six-sided dice like the toxicology dice; 
 determining the patent is approved when the dice results in 3 or greater; and 
 determining the patent is not approved when the dice results in less than 3. 
   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein
 determining the patent is approved further comprises:
 positioning a player's patent end token on the turn counting track three subsequent turns ahead of the turns token's current position; 
 granting other players licenses to use the recorded antigenic formula until the turn token lands on the patent end token; and 
 when the turn token lands on the patent end token, paying a patent extension fee to position the turn token an additional two turns. 
   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein
 the vaccine development phase further comprises:
 assigning an accessibility token to each of the disease boards, each accessibility token comprising a numerical accessibility value reflecting an accessibility time frame; and 
 each player purchasing up to two vaccine stability cards per action using the pay coins, each vaccine stability card comprising a numerical stability value reflecting a stability temperature threshold. 
   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein
 the vaccine sales phase further comprises:
 each player receiving a number of vaccine delivery cards equal to the numerical accessibility value, each vaccine delivery card comprising a temperature increase value and an impacted unit value; and 
 when the temperature increase value is greater than the numerical stability value of the vaccine, decreasing the production units of the associated best-in-class vaccine by the impacted unit value. 
   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein
 acquiring a technology or expertise comprises
 issuing an equal number of technology and expertise (T&E) cards to each player at the beginning of the game play; or 
 each player purchasing one of a plurality of T&E cards using the pay coins during the game play.