abio-ex51

Brent D. Fassett

+1 720 566 4025

bfassett@cooley.com

You have requested our opinion, as counsel to ARCA biopharma, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), with respect to certain matters in connection with the offering by the Company of the $1,031,896 of the Company’s common stock, par value $0.001 (the “Shares”), pursuant to a Registration Statement on Form S-3 (No. 333-217459) (the “Registration Statement”), filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Act”), the prospectus included within the Registration Statement (the “Base Prospectus”), and the prospectus supplement dated May 20, 2019, filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) of the Rules and Regulations of the Act (together with the Base Prospectus, the “Prospectus”) The Shares are to be sold by the Company in accordance with a Capital on Demand™ Sales Agreement, dated January 11, 2017 and as amended on August 21, 2017, January 25, 2019, March 11, 2019, May 9, 2019 and May 20, 2019, between the Company and JonesTrading Institutional Services LLC (the “Agreement”), as described in the Prospectus.

In connection with this opinion, we have examined and relied upon the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, the Agreement, the Company’s Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, as amended, and Second Amended and Restated Bylaws, as amended, and the originals or copies certified to our satisfaction of such records, documents, certificates, memoranda and other instruments as in our judgment are necessary or appropriate to enable us to render the opinion expressed below. In rendering this opinion, we have assumed the genuineness and authenticity of all signatures on original documents; the genuineness and authenticity of all documents submitted to us as originals; the conformity to originals of all documents submitted to us as copies; and the accuracy, completeness and authenticity of certificates of public officials. 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.

We have assumed (i) that each sale of Shares will be duly authorized by the Board of Directors of the Company, a duly authorized committee thereof or a person or body pursuant to an authorization granted in accordance with Section 152 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (the “DGCL”), (ii) that no more than 1,031,896 Shares will be sold under the Agreement and (iii) that the price at which the Shares are sold will equal or exceed the par value of the Shares. We express no opinion to the extent that future issuances of securities of the Company and/or anti-dilution adjustments to outstanding securities of the Company cause the number of shares of the Company’s common stock outstanding or issuable upon conversion or exercise of outstanding securities of the Company to exceed the number of Shares then issuable under the Agreement.

Our opinion herein is expressed solely with respect to the DGCL. Our opinion is based on these laws as in effect on the date hereof. We express no opinion to the extent that any other laws are applicable to the subject matter hereof and express no opinion and provide no assurance as to compliance with any federal or state securities law, rule or regulation.

Cooley LLP 380 Interlocken Crescent Suite 900 Broomfield, CO 80021-8023
t: (720) 566-4000 f: (720) 566-4099 cooley.com

May 20, 2019

Page Two

On the basis of the foregoing, and in reliance thereon, we are of the opinion that the Shares, when sold and issued against payment therefor in accordance with the Agreement, the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable.

We consent to the reference to our firm under the caption “Legal Matters” in the Prospectus and to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K to be filed with the Commission for incorporation by reference into the Registration Statement.

By:	/s/ Brent D. Fassett
		Brent D. Fassett

Cooley LLP 380 Interlocken Crescent Suite 900 Broomfield, CO 80021-8023
t: (720) 566-4000 f: (720) 566-4099 cooley.com