The kidneys play a vital role in filtering waste products, balancing fluids, and maintaining overall health. When they are affected by rare glomerular diseases such as Complement-3 Glomerulopathy (C3G) or IgA Nephropathy (IgAN), patients often face specific challenges. These can include the burden of tracking symptoms and lab results, coping with fatigue or swelling, and managing the emotional toll of living with an unpredictable and often lifelong condition. To support these patients, Dawn Health is introducing Nelia, a digital companion app developed with support from Novartis Pharma AG. Nelia is designed to help patients track symptoms, capture health information, and assess Quality of Life (QoL). It also provides resources that can support patients in managing aspects of their daily lives with a rare disease.
In the development process of Nelia, Dawn was supported by representatives from Novartis as well as two additional partners: ERKNet – the European Reference Network for Rare Kidney Diseases, a consortium of 72 expert pediatric and adult nephrology centers in 24 European countries providing healthcare to more than 70,000 patients with rare disorders of the kidneys – and CompCure, a non-profit association with the objective to improve outcomes in complement-mediated kidney diseases and to create a platform for addressing the unmet needs in rare diseases.
With Nelia, patients can log health parameters such as blood pressure, body weight, and proteinuria (excess protein in the urine, which can be an indicator of kidney damage). They can also track disease-related symptoms such as fatigue and edema, and capture insights on their mental health and overall quality of life. By consolidating this data into a single app, patients can visualize trends over time, helping them gain a clearer overview of their health information. The app also assists in coordinating care by enabling patients to document key insights, ensuring they have structured information readily available when consulting with their healthcare providers (HCPs). Additionally, patients can generate and share PDF reports with HCPs, caregivers, or family members to facilitate more informed discussions. Note that users’ data is not shared with Novartis or any third parties.
Nelia includes a library of knowledge articles and mindfulness exercises that can be accessed anytime, anywhere. This library will expand with links to additional resources, including those from patient organizations. Patients can also set up medication reminders to help them stay on track with their prescribed treatments, supporting adherence and continuity of care.
“At Dawn Health, we believe digital solutions can transform the way patients engage with their care,” said Alexander Mandix Hansen, CEO of Dawn Health. “With Nelia, we aim to provide valuable resources that support patients with rare glomerular diseases in navigating their healthcare journey, including mental health-focused topics.”
After a soft launch in Germany, Nelia is now available in four languages across most EU countries. To date, more than 500 patients have started using the app. While Nelia does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment recommendations, it serves as a tool to help patients organize their health information, track their symptoms, and improve communication with their healthcare providers.
