Exhibit 5.1
NORTH POINT • 901 LAKESIDE AVENUE • CLEVELAND, OHIO 44114.1190
TELEPHONE: +1.216.586.3939 • FACSIMILE: +1.216.579.0212
May 30, 2019
Athersys, Inc.
3201 Carnegie Avenue
Cleveland, OH 44115
| | Re: | $50,000,000 of Shares of Common Stock, Par Value $0.001 Per Share, to |
| | | Be Offered Pursuant to the Open Market Sale Agreement |
Ladies and Gentlemen:
We are acting as counsel for Athersys, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), in connection with the issuance and sale of $50,000,000 aggregate offering price of shares (the “Shares”) of common stock, par value $0.001 per share, of the Company pursuant to the Open Market Sale AgreementSM, dated as of May 30, 2019, between the Company and Jefferies LLC (the “Open MarketSale Agreement”). The Shares may be offered and sold from time to time pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933 (the “Act”) in accordance with the terms of the Open Market Sale Agreement.
In connection with the opinion expressed herein, we have examined such documents, records and matters of law as we have deemed relevant or necessary for purposes of this opinion. Based upon the foregoing and subject to the further assumptions, qualifications and limitations set forth herein, we are of the opinion that the Shares, when issued and delivered pursuant to the terms of the Open Market Sale Agreement against payment of the consideration therefor as provided therein, will be validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable; provided that such consideration is at least equal to the stated par value of the Shares.
In rendering the opinion above, we have assumed that (i) the resolutions authorizing the Company to issue and deliver and sell the Shares pursuant to the Open Market Sale Agreement will be in full force and effect at all times at which the Shares are issued and delivered or sold by the Company, and the Company will take no action inconsistent with such resolutions, and (ii) the timing of, the terms of and the consideration for each issuance of Shares by the Company under the Open Market Sale Agreement will be approved by the Board of Directors of the Company or an authorized committee of the Board of Directors.
The opinion expressed herein is limited to the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, as currently in effect, and we express no opinion as to the effect of the laws of any other jurisdiction.
AMSTERDAM • ATLANTA • BEIJING • BOSTON • BRISBANE • BRUSSELS • CHICAGO • CLEVELAND • COLUMBUS • DALLAS • DETROIT DUBAI • DÜSSELDORF • FRANKFURT • HONG KONG • HOUSTON • IRVINE • LONDON • LOS ANGELES • MADRID • MELBOURNE MEXICO CITY • MIAMI • MILAN • MINNEAPOLIS • MOSCOW • MUNICH • NEW YORK • PARIS • PERTH • PITTSBURGH • SAN DIEGO SAN FRANCISCO • SÃO PAULO • SAUDI ARABIA • SHANGHAI • SILICON VALLEY • SINGAPORE • SYDNEY • TAIPEI • TOKYO • WASHINGTON
