Abstract:
A board game illustrating the development, production and sale of new drugs by the pharmaceutical industry is provided. The game can be played by 2 or more persons and can be used for educational purposes or for entertainment.

Description:
FIELD OF INVENTION  
       [0001]    The present invention relates to a board game reflecting the pharmaceutical industry for educational or entertaining purposes. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]    Development of new drugs is an important activity of the pharmaceutical industry and occupies a considerable share of the re-sources, both with respect to finance and to staff. On the other hand, development of new drugs is crucial to the pharmaceutical industry in order to secure a suitable income in the future. 
         [0003]    The successful development, production and marketing of new drugs demand resources of different character such as financial resources, research facilities, production facilities, sales and marketing resources and legal resources, and will generally depend on both skills of the involved persons as well as luck. The interaction between all these resources and the prospects for development of new drugs and the income obtained by the pharmaceutical industry may be difficult to appreciate, in particular persons not connected to the pharmaceutical industry. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0004]    The object of the invention is to provide a game illustrating the pharmaceutical industry including development, production and marketing of new drugs. The game may be used for educational purposes or for entertainment. 
         [0005]    The invention relates to a board game for a play involving at least 2 players, comprising: 
         [0006]    a) a game board for each player representing a fictive company, comprising markings for at least  3  rounds separating a first area of the board from a second area of the board, both areas comprising locations where project cards can be placed, and indications of productions units, research units and sales &amp; marketing units possessed by the company; 
         [0007]    b) a first set of cards called project cards, comprising a project title, indications of costs for developing the projects for each of at least 2 rounds, indications of income for the developed project for one or more rounds, and indications for the number of production units and sales &amp; marketing units required for the project; 
         [0008]    c) a second set of cards called chance cards comprising events that may influence the game; 
         [0009]    d) means for indicating agreements between parties; 
         [0010]    e) a set of units representing a currency; 
         [0011]    f) markings representing supplementary production units, science and research units and Sales &amp; Marketing units, and
       g) a die or another device able to create random outcomes.
 
Preferably the board game additionally comprises:
   h) coloured paper clips with one colour for each player; and   i) coloures devices representing Research, Production and Sales &amp; Marketing units.
 
Each player is provided with a game board representing a company. The game is played over at least four rounds each round comprising the following phases: 1. Income phase; 2. Research and Negotiation phase; 3. Payment phase; and 4. R&amp;D outcome phase.
       
 
     
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING  
         [0015]    The figures show preferred embodiments of parts of the board game. 
           [0016]      FIG. 1  shows an example of a game board according to the invention. 
           [0017]      FIG. 2  shows examples of project cards. 
           [0018]      FIGS. 3 and 4  show examples of chance cards. 
           [0019]      FIG. 5  shows a contract summary sheet for registration of agreements and calculating the result of the game. 
           [0020]      FIG. 6  shows examples of currency units to be used in the game. 
       
    
    
       [0021]    The details of the figures will be explained further below. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0022]    The game board for each player represents a pharmaceutical company. 
         [0023]    On the board, markings for at least 3 rounds are present. In principle there is no upper limit for the number of rounds that can be marked on the game board, however, it is preferred that the number of rounds is not too large in order to complete the game within an reasonable time. Usually it is preferred that markings for between 4 and 20 rounds are marked on the board, more preferred between 6 and 15 rounds, and most preferred between 8 and 12 rounds. The number of rounds should be at least one more round than the number of development rounds indicated on the project cards. 
         [0024]    A first area is present on the board for placing project cards for projects in the development phase. The area should be sufficiently large to accommodate several project cards. 
         [0025]    A second area, which is separate from the first area is also present on the board for placing project cards in the production phase. The area should be sufficiently large to accommodate several project cards, but need not be as large as the first area. 
         [0026]    The board may optionally also contain markings indicating a prefixed income for each round. The players should preferably receive a predetermined income from the bank in at least the first rounds of the game in order to provide the players with funds for the first rounds of the game. In order to provide funds for a sufficient number of rounds for developing the first projects, the board should contain markings indicating a prefixed income for at least the same number of rounds as the number of development rounds indicated on the project cards. The game board is a suitable place for indicating this prefixed income from the bank, even though other locations may be possible. 
         [0027]    It is preferred that the markings for the rounds form a bar separating a rectangular first area from a rectangular second area. It is further preferred that optional markings indicating a prefixed income for each round are formed as a bar immediately above or below the bar of number markings. 
         [0028]    The board also contains indications of resource units: research units, production units and Sales &amp; Marketing units. Preferably, indications for initial resource units are marked as well as spaces for supplementary resource units. Resource units may for example be indicated by a solid symbol and spaces for supplementary resource units may be indicated by corresponding open symbols. Further, research units may be indicated by one color, production units by a second color and Sales &amp; Marketing units by a third color. 
         [0029]    Further, the game board may contain indications for a location for unused currency units. 
         [0030]    The project cards represent pharmaceutical projects. Project cards contain indications of minimum three rounds of which at least two rounds are development rounds, and the remaining round(s) is/are (a) production and marketing round(s), where income, as indicated on the project card, is realized if development is successful. Development rounds may be marked with a “D” for development, followed by a number indicating the sequence for the rounds. The income rounds may be marked with “P&amp;M” for production and marketing, followed by a number indicating the sequence of the rounds. 
         [0031]    In a preferred embodiment where the markings of the rounds on the game boards are formed as a bar, the size of the project cards should be adapted to fit the length of the bar corresponding to the number of rounds indicated on the project cards. 
         [0032]    The project cards also contain a project title, and may contain a category of diseases. 
         [0033]    Further indications of production requirement and Sales &amp; Marketing requirements for the project are indicated, e.g. by using symbols or colors corresponding to the markings on the game board. 
         [0034]    In one embodiment, some project cards are marked with a symbol representing a bonus connected to the particular project, intended to indicate that the project card represents a significant medical breakthrough within the specified indication. 
         [0035]    The chance cards represent events that pharmaceutical companies may experience during development and production of a drug. With each chance card follows a particular opportunity, penalty or added value as indicated on the chance cards. The chance cards may comprise cards of the types: Lawsuit, Research grant, Life cycle management, Patent Infringement and Scientific breakthroughs. 
         [0036]    Lawsuit chance cards represent the event that the pharmaceutical company is sued, e.g. for an unexpected side effect of the drug. Typically a penalty of a certain payment to the bank is indicated on lawsuit cards. 
         [0037]    Research Grant change card gives the player a certain income indicated on the cards, which must typically be spent on development of projects in the same round. 
         [0038]    Life Cycle management chance cards represent events that influence the income of a developed project. Examples of events on life cycle management cards include obtaining additional patent rights followed by adding one or more rounds, in which the project gives an income; and the finding that the drug has an effect on an additional disease followed by an added income. A category of diseases may be contained on a life cycle management card, indicating that the drug has an effect on an additional disease. 
         [0039]    Patent infringement chance cards represent the situation that a third party infringes your patent rights. The patent infringement cards contain indications for payment for each of the rounds indicated on the project cards. 
         [0040]    Scientific breakthrough chance cards improve the odds for a given project that is successful in a development round. In the embodiment that the outcome is determined using a die, the effect of a scientific breakthrough may be that the outcome 1-4 on the die is success compared with the general odds that only the outcome 1-3 is deemed successful. 
         [0041]    The means for indicating agreements between parties can in principle be any means suitable for registration of an agreement, usually some type of paper material. In addition to the registration of agreements, markings such as colored paperclips may be placed on the cards the agreement is relating to. 
         [0042]    A set of units representing a currency are such as are well known, e.g. from several known board games. There are no particular requirements for the currency units, however, naturally the prices indicated on the articles of the game must be adapted to the nominal value on the currency units. 
         [0043]    All payments according to indications on the game board, project cards and chance cards as well as payment for supplementary resource units are effectuated via a bank. The bank should contain sufficient currency units for the payments to be made during the game. The bank is neutral in the game and can not invest in any development projects nor can it lend money to the players. 
         [0044]    Devices representing supplementary production units, science and research units and Sales &amp; Marketing units may in principle be any devices able to mark such units, e.g. colored pieces made of plastic. 
         [0045]    A die or another device able to create a random outcome is well known within the art. There are no particular requirements for such a device as long as it is able to produce series of random outcomes, such as flipping a coin etc. It is preferred using a device able to create a random outcome, which can be manipulated to have higher or lower odds for a successful outcome in accordance with chance cards. A six sided die is an example of a preferred device able to create a random outcome, as it provides the possibility of changing the odds of a successful outcome for example by considering the outcomes 1-4 successful instead of the general successful outcomes 1-3. 
       Playing the Game 
       [0046]    The objective of the game is to become the most successful pharmaceutical company, generally determined as the company creating the largest income in the last round, even though other ways of deciding the most successful company may be possible and are contemplated as being within the scope of the invention. 
         [0047]    The objective is pursued through developing drugs for diseases, and thereby meeting the demand of patients worldwide. It will be necessary to make deals with other corporations, for which reasons it is not advised to be less than four players or groups of players, even though the game can be played with only two players. The game can be played by as many players as game materials are available for and materials from two or more games can be combined and used as one large game. 
         [0048]    A central activity in the game is development of projects illustrated by the project cards. In the game, a project is developed by placing the project card on the players&#39; game board in the first area, so that the indication of the first round on the project card is aligned with the indication on the game board of the actual round in the game. Secondly, the player must pay the development costs for the project as indicated on the project card in the position for the first developmental round, which should be aligned with the indication on the board for the actual round. Thirdly, the player must roll a die, or use another device able to create a random outcome, in order to determine the outcome of the first developmental phase of the project. If the outcome is deemed successful the project survives and continues to the next developmental phase in the next round of the game, otherwise the project is abandoned and the project card is returned to the deck. 
         [0049]    In the following rounds the player must pay the costs for the actual developmental phase as indicated on the position of the project card corresponding to the indication on the game board of the actual round, roll a die or use another device able to create random outcome, in order to determine the outcome of the actual developmental phase of the project. If the outcome is deemed successful, the project survives and continues to the next developmental phase in the next round of the game or to the first production phase if the actual round correspond to the last developmental phase of the project, otherwise the project is abandoned and the project card is returned to the deck. 
         [0050]    When all developmental phases of a project are completed with success, the project card is moved to the second area of the game board so that the first production phase of the project card is aligned with the indication on the game board of the next round. In the following rounds the player will get the income indicated on the project cards at the positions corresponding to the indications on the game board of the actual rounds, provided that the player is in possession of the required Production units and Sales &amp; Marketing units as indicated on the project cards. If the player is not in possession of a sufficient number of Production units or Sales &amp; Marketing units, he may buy additional units at the bank at a fixed price, he may get access to the required units via agreements with other players, so these players together have the required number of Production units and Sales &amp; Marketing units in order to get the income of the project. 
         [0051]    The company may be expanded or downsized again by the purchase or selling of supplementary resource units at a fixed price. It is not possible to downsize the company by selling any of the initial resource units indicated on the game board. The number of resource units determines the possibility of the company to engage in projects: the number of Research units determines how many project cards the player gets in each round, and the number of Production units and Sales &amp; Marketing units determines if the company has the resources to produce and market a project, and thereby obtain the income of the project. 
         [0052]    When all production phases of a successfully developed product card have passed or the project is abandoned e.g. because the company could not honor the requirements for production units or Sales &amp; Marketing units the project card is left on the game board for the remainder of the game. 
         [0053]    The size of the company is also decided based on the number of resource units. In a preferred embodiment a company having only initial resource units (3 research units, 2 production units and 2 Sales &amp; Marketing units) is called a “Small Pharma” company; a company having 3 research units, 3 production units and 3 Sales &amp; Marketing units is called a “Mid Size Pharma” company; a company having 4 research units, 4 production units and 3 Sales &amp; Marketing units is called a “Large Pharma” company; and a company having 4 research units, 5 production units and 5 Sales &amp; Marketing units is called a “Major Global Pharma” company. 
         [0054]    In one preferred embodiment the project cards are divided into categories. This is a reflection of the fact that pharmaceutical companies tend to operate within selected categories of diseases and only the major pharmaceutical companies have the capacity to operate within several categories of diseases. 
         [0055]    Examples of categories of diseases include: CNS, Cancer, Life style related diseases and Other diseases. In this embodiment, the size of the company determines how many categories a company can operate within. In this embodiment, the ability of a company to produce and sell drugs may be as follows: a Small Pharma company can produce and sell drugs of one category; a Mid Size Pharma company can produce and sell drugs of two categories; a Large Pharma company can produce and sell drugs of three categories; and a Major Global Pharma company can produce and sell drugs of all categories. 
         [0056]    An important part of the game is negotiating agreements with other players. This mimics the practice in the pharmaceutical area to develop and market products in cooperation between companies. 
         [0057]    In the game the player may make agreements with other players concerning any card in his possession in the start of the Research and Negotiation phase in each round. Such agreements may include sale or purchase of all assets of the game (project cards, chance cards etc.) or partnership for development or production and sale of a drug. In case that a partnership agreement is made, it is registered on the means for registration of agreement, e.g. a contract summary sheet as shown in  FIG. 5 . If a partnership agreement is made the requirements for resource units indicated on a project card are honored if the combined number of production units and Sales &amp; Marketing units of the parties of the agreement honors the requirement. 
         [0058]    Partnership agreements may be made in order to secure availability of sufficient resources for producing and marketing a drug or it may be made in order to share the costs of developing a project, thereby adjusting the risk according to the player&#39;s strategy. 
         [0059]    The game is played in a number of rounds as indicated on the game board. Each round comprises four phases: 1. Income phase; 2. Research and Negotiation phase; 3. Payment phase; and 4. R&amp;D outcome phase. 
         [0060]    In the Income phase the players receive income from the bank or from other players. Income from the bank includes income indicated on the game board for the particular round and income from developed projects as indicated on the project cards. Income from players includes income according to agreements made previously in the game. 
         [0061]    Additionally, the players may additionally sell supplementary resource units achieved in previous rounds. A limit for the maximum number of resource units to be sold in one round may be prescribed, e.g. such as a rule deciding that only two resource units of the same type may be sold in one round. 
         [0062]    In the Income phase the players additionally draw a number of chance cards from the deck corresponding to the size of the company. It may be prescribed that some type of chance cards must be used immediately in the first phase, such as lawsuit cards and research grant cards, other types must be used in the Research and Negotiation phase, such as life cycle management cards, still other types must be used in the Payment phase, such as patent infringement cards, and still other types must be used in the R&amp;D outcome phase, such as scientific breakthrough cards. 
         [0063]    In the Research and Negotiation phase each player draws a number of project cards corresponding to the company&#39;s research units. 
         [0064]    Each player decides which of the drawn project cards he intends to develop, if any, and places these project cards on the game board in the first area for project cards in the development phases. 
         [0065]    In the embodiment where categories of diseases are included on the project cards, the project cards to be developed must be selected in due respect to the size of the company. This secures that the company does not initiate developing projects in more categories than the company&#39;s size allows it to do. 
         [0066]    Players may negotiate agreements with other players. In principle, any element of the game may be the subject of agreements, however agreements usually are made in order to develop, produce and sell new drugs represented by project cards, also called partnership agreements. Agreements concerning development of projects in cooperation between two or more players are registered on the means for indicating agreements. Further, any cards may be traded between the players. 
         [0067]    In a preferred embodiment, players involved in a partnership relating to a project card located on another player&#39;s game board place a mark on the particular project card, such as a colored paper clip, where the color of the paper clip identifies the particular player. 
         [0068]    Further, the players must use the chance cards prescribed for use in this phase, if possible. 
         [0069]    In the Payment phase the players must pay their obligations according to agreements and must further pay the bank for the R&amp;D activities of the projects being developed, as indicated on the project cards located in the first area of the players game board. 
         [0070]    If a player is incapable of fulfilling his obligations according to an agreement, the agreement is considered cancelled and the player looses any right to future income that may result of the project. 
         [0071]    If a player is incapable of paying the bank the amount indicated on a particular project card, the project is abandoned and returned to the deck of project cards. 
         [0072]    In this phase the players may buy supplementary resource units from the bank. A limit for the maximum number of resource units to be bought in one round may be prescribed, e.g. such as a rule deciding that a player may only buy two resource units of the same type in one round. 
         [0073]    Further, the players must use the chance cards prescribed for use in this phase, if possible. 
         [0074]    In the R&amp;D outcome phase the players must first use all chance cards prescribed for use in this phase. 
         [0075]    Next, the outcome of each project being in a developmental phase is determined by using a die or another device able to create a random outcome. 
         [0076]    It is preferred to use a device able to create a random outcome, where one outcome is deemed successful and another outcome is deemed failed, and where the rate of success is approximately 50%. It is further preferred to use a device able to create a random outcome that allows the odds for a successful outcome according to the chance cards. 
         [0077]    It is most preferred to use a six sided die, where the throws 1, 2 and 3 are deemed successful, and the throws 4, 5 and 6 are deemed failed. The use of a die further allows changing the odds for a successful outcome by changing the odds according to the chance cards, for example, a scientific breakthrough chance card may prescribe that for a particular project the throws 1, 2, 3 and 4 are deemed successful and the throws 5 and 6 are deemed failed. 
         [0078]    All project cards where the outcome is successful survive the particular developmental phase and remain on the game board for the next developmental phase, or they are moved to the second area of the game board if the just completed developmental phase is the last developmental phase on the project card. 
         [0079]    All failed and unused project cards are abandoned and returned to the deck of project cards. 
         [0080]    After playing all the rounds the players calculate their total income in the last round, and the winner of the game is the player having the largest income in the last round. 
         [0081]    The income comprises income from fully developed projects in the production phase and income according to agreements. Further, values of projects in the production phase and projects in the development phase assigned after a particular scheme depending on the actual stage of the project may be added. 
       BEST MODE  
       [0082]    One preferred embodiment of the invention is now described with reference to the drawings. 
         [0083]    The game board representing a pharmaceutical company is shown in  FIG. 1 . The board contains markings for  9  rounds in form a bar ( 10 ) separating a first area ( 11 ) for placing project cards for projects in the development phase, and a second area ( 12 ) for placing project cards in the production phase. 
         [0084]    The board further contains markings indicating a prefixed income for each round ( 13 ) formed as a bar just above the bar presenting the rounds ( 10 ). 
         [0085]    In the upper part of the board are markings ( 14 ) indicating the number of research units ( 15 ), production units ( 16 ) and Sales &amp; Marketing units ( 17 ). Initial resource units are separated from supplementary resource units by a line ( 18 ). This line additionally indicates the minimum size of a pharmaceutical company, a Small Pharma size. The line ( 19 ) indicates the size of a Mid size Pharma company, line ( 20 ) indicates the size of a Large Size Pharma company, and line ( 21 ) indicates the size of a Major Global Pharma company. The size of the company determines the ability of a company to develop projects, as it will be explained below. 
         [0086]    The indications for a location for unused game money is also indicated on the game board, called “Shareholders bonus” ( 22 ). 
         [0087]    The project cards represent pharmaceutical projects. Examples of project cards are shown in  FIG. 2 . Each project card contains indications for costs for development of the project ( 23 ) and for income after the project has been developed ( 24 ) for each of  3  rounds. The project cards are rectangular, the width of the cards corresponding to  3  rounds on the marking of rounds ( 10 ) on the game board. 
         [0088]    The project cards also contain a category of diseases ( 25 ) and a title ( 26 ) on a colored header corresponding to the category of disease. 
         [0089]    Further, indications of production requirement ( 27 ) and Sales &amp; Marketing requirements ( 28 ) for the project are also indicated. 
         [0090]    Some cards are marked with a symbol indicating a bonus connected to the particular project. In a preferred embodiment the bonus is called an “Achievement Award” and is indicated by a sun ( 29 ). 
         [0091]    In a preferred embodiment the chance cards are called “Lawyers &amp; Scientists cards”. Examples of Lawyers &amp; Scientists cards are shown in  FIG. 3  and  FIG. 4 . Lawsuit Lawyers &amp; Scientists cards ( 30 ) represent the event that the pharmaceutical company is sued e.g. for an unexpected side effect of the drug. Typically a penalty of a certain payment to the bank is indicated ( 31 ) on the card. 
         [0092]    Life Cycle management Lawyers &amp; Scientists cards represent events that influence the income of a developed project. Examples of events on life cycle management cards include obtaining additional patent rights ( 32 ) followed by adding one additional round in which the project gives an income. Another example is the finding that the drug has an effect on an additional disease ( 33 ) followed by an added income indicated on the card ( 34 ). The color of the header ( 35 ) of the card ( 33 ) indicates the category of diseases for the particular additional disease, which must be taken into consideration when exploiting the card, as it will be explained below. 
         [0093]    Patent infringement Lawyers &amp; Scientists cards ( 36 ) represent the situation that a third party infringes your patent rights. The patent infringement cards contain indications ( 37 ) for payment for each of the rounds indicated on the project cards. 
         [0094]    Scientific breakthrough Lawyers &amp; Scientists cards ( 38 ) improve the odds for a given project that is successful in a development round effectuated by increasing the odds for success in the particular development step by deciding that the outcome 1-4 on the roll of the die is success compared with the general odds that only the outcome 1-3 is deemed successful. 
         [0095]    Each player draws chance cards in each round of the game according to the actual size of the company. Small Pharma companies receive one Lawyers &amp; Scientists card, Mid Size companies receive two Lawyers &amp; Scientists cards, Large Pharma companies receive three Lawyers &amp; Scientists cards and Major Global Pharma companies receive four Lawyers &amp; Scientists cards. 
         [0096]    A contract summary sheet ( 40 ) shown in  FIG. 5  contains a table ( 41 ) for registration of agreements with other players, and in the lower part of the sheet is provided a scheme ( 42 ) for calculating the total income in the last round of the game. 
         [0097]    An example of a set of units representing a currency is shown in  FIG. 6 . The currency unit is called Pharma Mega Buck. 
         [0098]    The game is played using a regular cubic die having the outcome 1-6. 
         [0099]    The sequence of play for each round will be the following: 
         [0100]    1. Income Phase
       a. receiving income from the bank;   b. collecting currency units from parties according to agreements;   c. selling supplementary production units, science and research units and Sales &amp; Marketing Units. A player can sell two units in each round;   d. receiving a number of Lawyers &amp; Scientists cards according to company size; and   e. immediately playing any “lawsuit” and “research grant” cards;       
 
         [0106]    2. Research and Negotiation Phase
       a. each player draws a number of project cards dictated by the company&#39;s research units;   b. players may negotiate agreements with other players in order to
           secure availability of resources for developing a project,   adjust the risk profile of the company;   
           c. using all “life cycle management” Lawyers &amp; Scientists cards;       
 
         [0112]    3. Payment Phase
       a. paying obligations according to agreements;   b. paying the bank for R&amp;D activities for projects being developed;   c. paying the bank for purchase of supplementary production units, science and research units and Sales &amp; Marketing units; a player can only buy two units in each round; and   d. using all “Patent Infringement” Lawyers &amp; Scientists cards;       
 
         [0117]    4. R&amp;D Outcome Phase
       a. allocating all “scientific breakthrough” chance cards to projects being developed;   b. rolling a die for each of the projects being developed to determine if the particular project is successful and progresses to the next phase, where the outcome of 1-3 on the die is deemed to be successful;   c. returning all failed or unused project cards to the deck;   d. returning all unused Lawyers &amp; Scientists cards to the deck; and   e. locating all unused currency units on the “Shareholders bonus&#39; area.       
 
         [0123]    After the last round the player having the highest income in round 9 is pronounced winner. The income in round 9 is calculated as the sum of income of fully or partially owned developed projects, plus an assumed future income based on the number of active projects in various phases. This assumed future income is the sum of: the number of developed Achievement Awards X 6 Pharma Mega Buck; the number of fully owned project cards that are in first development phase X 1 Pharma Mega Buck; the number of fully owned project cards that are in second development phase X 2 Pharma Mega Buck; the number of partially owned project cards that are in second development phase X 1 Pharma Mega Buck; the number of fully owned project cards that are in third development phase X 6 Pharma Mega Buck; and the number of partially owned project cards that are in third development phase X 3 Pharma Mega Buck.