Exhibit 5.1

October 5, 2018

Histogenics Corporation

830 Winter Street, 3^rd Floor

Waltham, MA 02451

Ladies and Gentlemen:

You have requested our opinion with respect to certain matters in connection with the sale by Histogenics Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), of up to (i) an aggregate of 26,155,000 shares (the “Shares”) of the Company’s common stock, par value $0.01 per share (the “Common Stock”) and (ii) warrants (the “Warrants”) to purchase up to an aggregate of 19,616,250 shares of the Common Stock (the “Warrant Shares”), pursuant to the Registration Statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-216741) (the “Registration Statement”) filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Act”), on March 16, 2017 and declared effective on March 30, 2017 and the related prospectus dated March 30, 2017 included in the Registration Statement (the “Base Prospectus”), the prospectus supplement to be filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) promulgated under the Act (the “Prospectus Supplement” and, together with the Base Prospectus, the “Prospectus”), and an underwriting agreement dated October 5, 2018 between the Company and Canaccord Genuity LLC, as representative of the several underwriters (the “Underwriting Agreement”).

In connection with this opinion, we have examined and relied upon the Registration Statement, the Prospectus, the Company’s Sixth Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation and Amended and Restated Bylaws, as currently in effect, and the originals or copies certified to our satisfaction of such other documents, records, certificates, memoranda and other instruments as in our judgment are necessary or appropriate to enable us to render the opinion expressed below. With your consent, we have relied upon certificates and other assurances of officers of the Company as to factual matters without having independently verified such factual matters. We have assumed the genuineness and authenticity of all documents submitted to us as originals, and the conformity to originals of all documents submitted to us as copies thereof and the due execution and delivery by all parties other than the Company of all documents where due execution and delivery are a prerequisite to the effectiveness thereof.

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 the Prospectus, other than as expressly stated herein with respect to the issuance of the Shares, the Warrant and the Warrant Shares. Our opinion is limited to the matters stated herein and no opinion is implied or may be inferred beyond the matters expressly stated. Our opinion herein is expressed solely with respect to the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware and we express no opinion with respect to any other laws. Our opinion is based on these laws as in effect on the date hereof, and we disclaim any obligation to advise you of facts, circumstances, events or developments which hereafter may be brought to our attention and which may alter, affect or modify the opinion expressed herein.

Subject to the foregoing and the other matters set forth herein, it is our opinion that, (i) when the Shares to be issued and sold by the Company are issued and paid for in accordance with the terms of the Underwriting Agreement, such Shares will be validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable, (ii) when the Warrants to be issued and sold by the Company are issued and paid for in accordance with the terms of the Underwriting Agreement, such Warrants have been duly authorized for issuance and, will be valid and binding obligations of the Company, and (iii) assuming a sufficient number of authorized but unissued shares of Common Stock are available for issuance when the Warrants are exercised, the Warrant Shares, when and if issued upon exercise of the Warrants in accordance with the Warrants, the Registration Statement and the related prospectus and prospectus supplement, including the payment of the exercise price therefor, will be validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable.

We consent to the reference to our firm under the caption “Legal Matters” in the Prospectus included in the Registration Statement and to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to a Current Report of the Company on Form 8-K. 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/ Gunderson Dettmer Stough Villeneuve Franklin & Hachigian, LLP

GUNDERSON DETTMER STOUGH VILLENEUVE FRANKLIN & HACHIGIAN, LLP