EXHIBIT 5.1 July 19, 1999 Cytogen Corporation 600 College Road East Princeton, New Jersey 08540 Ladies and Gentlemen: The undersigned has acted as counsel to Cytogen Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the "Company"), in connection with the preparation and filing by the Company of a Registration Statement on Form S-3 (the "Registration Statement") under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Act"), for the registration of up to $5 million in shares of common stock, $.01 par value per share (the "Common Stock"), of the Company. I have examined and am familiar with originals or copies, certified or otherwise identified to our satisfaction, of such documents, corporate records, certificates of public officials and officers of the Company and such other instruments as I have deemed necessary or appropriate as a basis for the opinions expressed below, including the Registration Statement, the Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Company and the By-laws of the Company. Based on the foregoing, I am of the opinion that the Common Stock issuable under the Registration Statement has been duly authorized and reserved for issuance and, when duly issued and delivered, will be validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable. I hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as Exhibit 5.1 to the Registration Statement. In giving such consent, I do not thereby admit that we come within the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Act or the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission thereunder. I express no opinion as to the laws of any jurisdiction other than the general corporate laws of the State of Delaware and the federal law of the United States of America. The foregoing opinion is rendered as of the date hereof, and I assume no obligation to update such opinion to reflect any facts or circumstances which may hereafter come to my attention or any changes in the law which may hereafter occur. Very truly yours, /s/ Donald F. Crane ------------------------- Donald F. Crane, Jr.