Team

Veterinary doctor Caroline Vereenooghe has an established track record in market launch and sales of products for orthopedic pathologies for horses in Europe and the Middle East. She has an established business acumen with a successful track record in the fashion sector with the VRT brand Vive le Vélo. In addition, she completed an Executive MBA at Vlerick Business School in 2022. Her return to veterinary medicine is no surprise, given her passion for horses and orthobiological products. She has never really left and has remained active in the sector behind the scenes..

Jan Spaas was born in 1986 and as a junior and young riders passionate rider he won 2 bronze medals at European Championships show jumping. He graduated as a veterinarian from the University of Ghent in 2010 and holds a PhD in veterinary sciences from the same university where he is visiting professor. He was CEO of the stem cell company GST for 10 years, which was acquired by Boehringer Ingelheim in 2020 and managed to launch 2 medicinal products based on stem cell therapy on the European market. Jan is co-founder of horse clinic Via Nova, which was acquired by Altano in 2022. Both companies were founded together with his wife Sarah Broeckx and veterinarian Marc Suls. He worked for pharmaceutical company Boehringer Ingelheim for 4 years, including 2 years in veterinary drug development in Athens Georgia and then in Germany as Global Head of Research for the veterinary division until the end of March 2024. Today he is leading the R&D programs from Intibio and is active as a passionate board member in various companies. He spends his free time as much as he can with his wife and 2 daughters.

Sarah Broeckx was born in 1987 and has always been a passionate dressage rider. She graduated as a veterinarian from the University of Ghent in 2010 and holds a PhD in veterinary sciences from the same university. She was cofounder and Head of Quality of the stem cell company GST for 10 years where she implemented certified GMP, GLP, GDP and GCP systems. She cofounded Via Nova equine hospital together with her husband Jan Spaas and veterinarian Marc Suls. After the acquisition of GST by pharmaceutical company Boehringer Ingelheim she worked as a QA site head in Belgium and Associate Director of QA in Athens Georgia, USA. Today she is leading the Quality programs from INTIBIO and spends as much time as she can with her husband and 2 daughters.

Dr. Leo De Backer is a veterinarian with an international track record as a treating vet for several international stables around the world (Europe, Switzerland, USA, Mexico). He was one of the first practitioners to focus on sports medicine, and many treatments used today are based on his philosophy. He served as the official veterinarian for several countries during five Olympic Games, including Barcelona, where he represented five different nations. He remains active as a treating vet, collaborating with numerous colleagues.

Marc Suls has had the privilege of building a career focused on equine orthopedics. After graduating from the University of Ghent in 1995, he specialized in equine orthopedics during his time at the Animal Health Trust clinic in Newmarket and through his collaboration with Dr. Leo de Backer for over 10 years. He had the honor of serving as a team vet for multiple national teams (England, Ireland, Switzerland, South Korea, Japan, Ukraine) at international championships and the Olympic Games. Together with Jan Spaas and his wife Sarah Broeckx, he co-founded GST (a stem cell company) and Via Nova (equine clinic in Bree, Belgium). He is passionate about regenerative medicine and mentoring the next generation of veterinarians, something he finds incredibly rewarding.

Yanne Van Reusel, born in 2001, has had a deep-rooted passion for animals, particularly horses, since her youth, which led her to begin horseback riding. This hobby quickly evolved into a passion, leading to getting her first horse. In addition, Yanne has always been captivated by the world of medicine and the potential for groundbreaking advancements. This fascination inspired her to pursue a master's in biomedical sciences, which she successfully completed in 2024 at UHasselt. Driven by a desire to contribute to cutting-edge research, Yanne performs research at INTIBIO while simultaneously pursuing a PhD program in collaboration with the faculty of veterinary medicine of UGent. Her unique combination of scientific expertise and unwavering passion for horses fuels her determination to find innovative solutions to challenges in the field of equine health.