Exhibit 5.1

 

 

Westward Law, llc

3273 E. Warm Springs

Las Vegas, NV 89120

          Telephone:   702-595-8005
      Email:   keavery@westwardlaw.com

 

 

November 19, 2021

 

 

Xenetic Biosciences, Inc.

40 Speen Street, Suite 102

Framingham, Massachusetts 01701

 

Re: Shelf Registration Statement on Form S-3 (Registration No. 333-260201)

 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

Reference is made to the Registration Statement on Form S-3 (Registration No. 333-260201) (as amended, the “Registration Statement”) initially filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) on October 12, 2021 by Xenetic Biosciences, Inc. (the “Company”) pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Act”). We are rendering this opinion letter in connection with the filing of a prospectus supplement dated November 19, 2021 (the “Prospectus Supplement”). The Prospectus Supplement relates to the offering by the Company of up to $4,000,000 in shares (the “Shares”) of the Company’s common stock, par value $0.001 per share (the “Common Stock”), in an “at-the-market” offering, pursuant to that certain At The Market Offering Agreement, dated as of November 19, 2021, between the Company and H.C. Wainwright & Co., LLC, which Shares are covered by the Registration Statement. We understand that the Shares are to be offered and sold in the manner set forth in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus Supplement.

 

We have acted as your counsel in connection with the preparation of the Prospectus Supplement as regards Nevada Laws. We are familiar with the proceedings taken by the Board of Directors of the Company in connection with the authorization, issuance and sale of the Shares. We have examined all such documents as we have considered necessary in order to enable us to render this opinion letter, including, but not limited to, (i) the Registration Statement, (ii) the Base Prospectus, dated October 22, 2021, included with the Registration Statement (the “Prospectus”), (iii) the Prospectus Supplement, (iv) the Company’s Articles of Incorporation, as amended, (v) the Company’s Bylaws, as amended and restated, (vi) certain resolutions adopted by the Board of Directors of the Company and the Finance Committee of the Board of Directors of the Company, (vii) corporate records and instruments, (viii) a specimen certificate representing the Shares, and (ix) such laws and regulations as we have deemed necessary for the purposes of rendering the opinion set forth herein. In our examination, we have assumed the genuineness of all signatures, the legal capacity of all natural persons, the authenticity of and conformity to originals of such documents that have been presented to us as duplicates or certified or conformed copies, the accuracy, completeness and authenticity of originals, the due execution and delivery of all documents (except that no such assumption is made as to the Company) where due execution and delivery are a prerequisite to the effectiveness thereof, and that the Shares will be issued against payment of valid consideration under applicable law. As to any facts material to the opinion expressed herein, which were not independently established or verified, we have relied, to the extent we have deemed reasonably appropriate, upon statements and representations or certificates of officers or directors of the Company.

 

Based upon the foregoing, we are of the opinion that the Shares have been duly authorized and, when issued and delivered by the Company against payment therefor as set forth in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus Supplement, will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable.

 

The opinion expressed herein is limited to the federal securities laws of the United States of America and the corporate laws of the State of Nevada and we express no opinion as to the effect on the matters covered by the laws of any other jurisdiction. We assume no obligation to supplement this opinion letter if any applicable law changes after the date hereof or if we become aware of any fact that may change the opinion expressed herein after the date hereof.

 

We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion letter as part of the Registration Statement and to the reference of our firm under the caption “Legal Matters” in the Prospectus Supplement. In giving such consent, we do not hereby admit that we are in the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Act or the rules and regulations of the Commission. 

 

  

Very truly yours,

 

/s/ WESTWARD LAW, LLC