Exhibit 5.1

 

		200 Clarendon Street
		Boston, Massachusetts 02116
		Tel: +1.617.948.6000 Fax: +1.617.948.6001
		www.lw.com
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April 11, 2019		Düsseldorf		San Diego
		Frankfurt		San Francisco
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		Houston		Silicon Valley
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		Los Angeles		Tokyo
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		Milan

Homology Medicines, Inc.

One Patriots Park

Bedford, MA 01730

 

Re:	Registration Statement on Form S-3 (Registration No. 333-230664)

Ladies and Gentlemen:

We have acted as special counsel to Homology Medicines, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), in connection with the proposed issuance of 5,555,556 shares of common stock, $0.0001 par value per share (the “Shares”). The Shares are included in a registration statement on Form S-3 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Act”), filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) on April 1, 2019 (Registration No. 333-230664) (the “Registration Statement”), a base prospectus dated April 9, 2019 (the “Base Prospectus”) and a prospectus supplement dated April 9, 2019 filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Act (together with Base Prospectus, the “Prospectus”). The Shares are being sold pursuant to an underwriting agreement dated April 9, 2019, by and among Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated and Cowen and Company, LLC, as representatives of the several underwriters listed on Schedule A thereto, and the Company (the “Underwriting Agreement”). This opinion is being furnished in connection with the requirements of Item 601(b)(5) of Regulation S-K under the Act, and no opinion is expressed herein as to any matter pertaining to the contents of the Registration Statement or related Prospectus, other than as expressly stated herein with respect to the issue of the Shares.

As such counsel, we have examined such matters of fact and questions of law as we have considered appropriate for purposes of this letter. With your consent, we have relied upon certificates and other assurances of officers of the Company and others as to factual matters without having independently verified such factual matters. We are opining herein as to the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, and we express no opinion with respect to any other laws.

Subject to the foregoing and the other matters set forth herein, it is our opinion that, as of the date hereof, when the Shares shall have been duly registered on the books of the transfer agent and registrar therefor in the name or on behalf of the purchasers, and have been issued by

April 11, 2019

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the Company against payment therefor (not less than par value) in the circumstances contemplated by the Underwriting Agreement, the issue and sale of the Shares will have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action of the Company, and the Shares will be validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable. In rendering the foregoing opinion, we have assumed that the Company will comply with all applicable notice requirements regarding uncertificated shares provided in the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware.

This opinion is for your benefit in connection with the Registration Statement and may be relied upon by you and by persons entitled to rely upon it pursuant to the applicable provisions of the Act. We consent to your filing this opinion as an exhibit to the Company’s Form 8-K dated April 11, 2019 and to the reference to our firm in the Prospectus under the heading “Legal Matters.” In giving such consent, we do not thereby 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 thereunder.

Very truly yours,

/s/ LATHAM & WATKINS LLP