BioLineRx (NASDAQ:BLRX – Get Free Report) and Virios Therapeutics (NASDAQ:VIRI – Get Free Report) are both small-cap medical companies, but which is the better business? We will contrast the two businesses based on the strength of their valuation, dividends, earnings, analyst recommendations, profitability, institutional ownership and risk.
Insider & Institutional Ownership
2.0% of BioLineRx shares are owned by institutional investors. Comparatively, 11.0% of Virios Therapeutics shares are owned by institutional investors. 1.1% of BioLineRx shares are owned by company insiders. Comparatively, 10.4% of Virios Therapeutics shares are owned by company insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that hedge funds, large money managers and endowments believe a company will outperform the market over the long term.
Analyst Ratings
This is a breakdown of recent ratings and target prices for BioLineRx and Virios Therapeutics, as provided by MarketBeat.
| Sell Ratings | Hold Ratings | Buy Ratings | Strong Buy Ratings | Rating Score | |
| BioLineRx | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3.00 |
| Virios Therapeutics | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | N/A |
BioLineRx currently has a consensus price target of $21.00, suggesting a potential upside of 914.49%. Given BioLineRx’s higher probable upside, analysts clearly believe BioLineRx is more favorable than Virios Therapeutics.
Earnings & Valuation
This table compares BioLineRx and Virios Therapeutics’ gross revenue, earnings per share and valuation.
| Gross Revenue | Price/Sales Ratio | Net Income | Earnings Per Share | Price/Earnings Ratio | |
| BioLineRx | N/A | N/A | -$24.95 million | ($0.69) | -3.00 |
| Virios Therapeutics | N/A | N/A | -$12.25 million | ($0.55) | -1.71 |
BioLineRx is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than Virios Therapeutics, indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks.
Risk and Volatility
BioLineRx has a beta of 1.8, suggesting that its share price is 80% more volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Virios Therapeutics has a beta of 1.95, suggesting that its share price is 95% more volatile than the S&P 500.
Profitability
This table compares BioLineRx and Virios Therapeutics’ net margins, return on equity and return on assets.
| Net Margins | Return on Equity | Return on Assets | |
| BioLineRx | N/A | -103.97% | -60.62% |
| Virios Therapeutics | N/A | -111.40% | -97.92% |
Summary
Virios Therapeutics beats BioLineRx on 6 of the 10 factors compared between the two stocks.
About BioLineRx
BioLineRx Ltd., a pre-commercial-stage biopharmaceutical company, focuses on oncology. The company develops Motixafortide, a peptide, which has completed Phase 3 clinical trials for the treatment of autologous stem cell mobilization and Phase 2a clinical trials for the treatment of pancreatic cancer; and that is in Phase 2 clinical trials for the treatment of metastatic pancreatic adenocarcinoma patients, and Phase 1b clinical trials in patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome secondary to COVID-19 and other respiratory viral infections, as well as for the treatment of solid tumors and acute myeloid leukemia. It is also developing AGI-134, an immuno-oncology agent, which is in Phase 1/2a clinical trials for the treatment of solid tumors; and BL-5010, a customized, proprietary, pen-like applicator for the non-surgical removal of skin lesions. The company has collaboration agreement with MSD for the cancer immunotherapy field; and MD Anderson Cancer Center to investigate the combination of Motixafortide with KEYTRUDA (pembrolizumab) in pancreatic cancer, as well as licensing arrangement with Perrigo Company plc for over-the-counter sale of BL-5010. BioLineRx Ltd. was incorporated in 2003 and is headquartered in Modi’in, Israel.
About Virios Therapeutics
Virios Therapeutics, Inc., a development-stage biotechnology company, focuses on developing novel antiviral therapies to treat diseases associated with a viral triggered abnormal immune response. The company’s lead development candidate is the IMC-1, a fixed dose combination of famciclovir and celecoxib to treat fibromyalgia. It also develops IMC-2, a combination of valacyclovir and celecoxib for the treatment of managing the fatigue, sleep, attention, pain, autonomic function, and anxiety associated with long COVID. The company was formerly known as Innovative Med Concepts, LLC and changed its name to Virios Therapeutics, Inc. in July 2020. Virios Therapeutics, Inc. was founded in 2012 and is headquartered in Alpharetta, Georgia.
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