Nico Goossens*

Kris Verdoodt*

Philippe Rens*

Bert Van Ingelghem*

Pieter Bogaerts*

Hannes Casier*

Emilie Ooms*

Freya Jorens*

Louis Hoet*

Wouter Verhoeye*

Jolien Loos*

Evelyn Van Raemdonck*

Henri Nelen*

Mattias Verbeeck Hannelore Geldof*

Lawrence Geernaert*

Christophe Verhelst*

Pieter-Jan Van Goethem Frederik Wilmots*

Steven Verschoot*

Michiel Vanwynsberghe*

Thomas Van Hoornyck*

Silke Chantrain*

Ben Nagar*

Madjda Temraz*

Lise Van Daele*

Aline Vermeulen*

Margaux Van Mol*

Julie Calaerts*

Seppe Ceusters Pierre Accou*

Steven Demeulenaere*

Michelle Werbrouck*

Jarno Zuallaert

Arnout Coppieters*

Elle Peytier

Lotte Van Winckel Evelyne Claessens*

Esther De Schryder*

Kato Van Meel*

Maxime Collin Charlotte Dewilde*

Daan Vernimmen*

Lena Pepa

Aleksandrs Cerepanovs

Emiel Schepkens

Rick Fremau

Aisha Jaspers

Emma Platevoet

Maxim Vanschooren

Charlotte Van Houwe

Thibaud De Bie

Exhibit 5.1

 

 

December 4, 2023

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Re: GALAPAGOS NV

We have acted as Belgian counsel to Galapagos NV (the “Company”), a company incorporated under the laws of the Kingdom of Belgium, in connection with the Company’s registration statement on Form S-8 (the “Registration Statement”) as filed publicly with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) on the date hereof under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”) in respect of up to 1,975,000 ordinary shares without nominal value of the Company (the “Shares”) to be issued upon the exercise of subscription rights under the subscription right plan 2023 BE, the subscription right plan 2023 RMV and the subscription right plan 2023 ROW (the “Plan”).

We have examined originals or copies, certified or otherwise identified to our satisfaction, of: (i) the Registration Statement, (ii) a copy of the general rules of the Plan incorporated as an exhibit to the Registration Statement, (iii) a copy of the coordinated articles of association of the Company as at March 20, 2023, and (iv) such corporate documents and records of the Company and such other instruments, notarial deeds, certificates and documents as we have deemed necessary or appropriate as a basis for the opinions hereinafter expressed. In such examinations, we have assumed the authenticity of all documents submitted to us as originals, the conformity to original documents of all documents submitted to us as copies or drafts of documents to be executed, the genuineness of all signatures and the legal competence or capacity of persons or entities to complete the execution of documents. As to various questions of fact which are material to the opinions hereinafter expressed, we have relied upon statements or certificates of public officials, directors of the Company and others.

We have further assumed for the purposes of this opinion, without investigation, that (i) the Company’s board of directors has duly authorized the Plan, (ii) all documents to be executed under the Plan have been duly authorized, executed and delivered by each of the parties thereto other than the Company, and (iii) the Plan has been, and will at all times be operated in accordance with its terms.

 

 

 

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