Exhibit 5.1

 

 

 

90 Park Avenue

New York, NY 10016

212-210-9400 | Fax: 212-210-9444

  

Mark F. McElreath Direct Dial:  212-210-9595 Email:  mark.mcelreath@alston.com

  

November 9, 2020

 

Fortress Biotech, Inc.

2 Gansevoort Street, 9th Floor

New York, NY 10014

 

 

Re: Registration Statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-226089)

 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

We have acted as counsel to Fortress Biotech, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), in connection with the registration statement (the “Registration Statement”) on Form S-3 filed today by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”) to register 2,100,000 shares of the Company’s common stock, par value $0.001 per share (the “Common Stock”). The Common Stock is issuable upon the exercise of those certain warrants issued to the selling stockholders identified in the Registration Statement (the “Warrants”). This opinion letter is being rendered pursuant to Item 16 of Form S-3 and Item 601(b)(5) of Regulation S-K.

 

We have reviewed such corporate records, certificates and other documents, and such questions of law, as we have considered necessary or appropriate for the purposes of this opinion. We have assumed that all signatures are genuine, that all documents submitted to us as originals are authentic and that all copies of documents submitted to us conform to the originals.

 

We have further assumed that the Company Common Stock, if issued in certificated form, will conform to the specimen incorporated by reference as an exhibit to the Registration Statement and will be duly countersigned by the transfer agent of the Company’s Common Stock and duly registered by the registrar of the Company’s Common Stock.

 

We have relied as to certain matters on information obtained from public officials, officers of the Company and other sources believed by us to be responsible.

 

Alston & Bird LLP www.alston.com

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November 9, 2020
Page 2

 

Based upon the foregoing, and subject to the qualifications set forth below, we are of the opinion that:

 

(1)The Common Stock initially issuable upon exercise of the Warrants have been duly authorized and reserved for issuance and, when the Registration Statement and any required post-effective amendments thereto have all been declared effective under the Act, the Common Stock issuable upon exercise of the Warrants, when issued upon exercise in accordance with the terms of the Warrants, will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable.

 

(2)The Warrants constitute the valid and binding obligation of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with their terms, subject to bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent transfer, reorganization, moratorium and other laws of general applicability relating to or affecting creditors’ rights and to general equity principles.

 

We express no opinion as to: (i) waivers of defenses, subrogation and related rights, rights to trial by jury, rights to object to venue, or other rights or benefits bestowed by operation of law; (ii) releases or waivers of unmatured claims or rights; (iii) indemnification, contribution, exculpation, or arbitration provisions, or provisions for the non-survival of representations, to the extent they purport to indemnify any party against, or release or limit any party’s liability for, its own breach or failure to comply with statutory obligations, or to the extent such provisions are contrary to public policy; or (iv) provisions for liquidated damages and penalties, penalty interest and interest on interest.

 

We have examined the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Company, as amended (the “Certificate of Incorporation”), the Second Amended and Restated By-Laws of the Company (the “Bylaws”), records of proceedings of the Board of Directors, or committees thereof, and records of proceedings of the stockholders, deemed by us to be relevant to this opinion letter, and the Registration Statement. We also have made such further legal and factual examinations and investigations as we deemed necessary for purposes of expressing the opinion set forth herein.

 

As to certain factual matters relevant to this opinion letter, we have relied conclusively upon originals or copies, certified or otherwise identified to our satisfaction, of such records, agreements, documents and instruments, including certificates or comparable documents of officers of the Company and of public officials, as we have deemed appropriate as a basis for the opinion hereinafter set forth. Except to the extent expressly set forth herein, we have made no independent investigations with regard to matters of fact, and, accordingly, we do not express any opinion as to matters that might have been disclosed by independent verification.

 

The opinions set forth herein are limited to the DGCL, applicable provisions of the Constitution of the State of Delaware and reported judicial decisions interpreting the foregoing, and federal laws of the United States of America to the extent referred to specifically herein (all of the foregoing being referred to as “Opined on Law”). We do not express any opinion herein concerning any other laws. We are not engaged in the practice in the State of Delaware; however, we are generally familiar with the DGCL as currently in effect and have made such inquiries as we consider necessary to render the opinion contained herein. We assume no obligation to revise or supplement this opinion in the event of future changes in such laws or the interpretations thereof or such facts.

 

 

 

 

November 9, 2020
Page 3

 

We consent to the filing of this opinion letter as an exhibit to the Registration Statement and to the use of our name under the heading “Legal Matters” in the prospectus constituting a part thereof. In giving such consent, we do not thereby admit that we are within the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Securities Act or the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder.

 

  Sincerely,
   
  ALSTON & BIRD LLP
   
  By: /s/ Mark F. McElreath
    Mark F. McElreath
    Partner