

<!-- DFS Xcelerate Taxonomy Schema - http://www.dfsco.com/financial-services/ -->
<!-- Version: 6.23.6 -->
<!-- Round: 3 -->
<!-- Creation date: 2018-08-09T23:15:42Z -->
<!-- Copyright (c) 2017 Donnelley Financial, LLC. All Rights Reserved. -->
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        <link:definition>110 - Disclosure - Stock-Based Compensation</link:definition>
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        <link:definition>111 - Disclosure - Common Stock Warrants</link:definition>
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        <link:definition>112 - Disclosure - Fair Value of Financial Instruments</link:definition>
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        <link:definition>113 - Disclosure - Loss Per Share</link:definition>
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        <link:definition>114 - Disclosure - Common Stock</link:definition>
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        <link:definition>115 - Disclosure - Commitments and Contingencies</link:definition>
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        <link:definition>116 - Disclosure - Galectin Sciences LLC</link:definition>
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        <link:definition>117 - Disclosure - Accrued Expenses (Tables)</link:definition>
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        <link:definition>118 - Disclosure - Stock-Based Compensation (Tables)</link:definition>
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        <link:definition>122 - Disclosure - Accrued Expenses (Detail)</link:definition>
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        <link:definition>123 - Disclosure - Line of Credit - Additional Information (Detail)</link:definition>
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        <link:definition>124 - Disclosure - Stock-Based Compensation Expense Related to Common Stock Options, Restricted Common Stock and Common Stock Warrants (Detail)</link:definition>
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        <link:definition>125 - Disclosure - Summary of Stock Option Activity (Detail)</link:definition>
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        <link:definition>126 - Disclosure - Stock-Based Compensation - Additional Information (Detail)</link:definition>
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        <link:definition>127 - Disclosure - Weighted Average Assumptions Used to Determine Fair Value of Options Granted (Detail)</link:definition>
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        <link:definition>128 - Disclosure - Common Stock Warrant Activity (Detail)</link:definition>
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        <link:definition>129 - Disclosure - Dilutive Shares Which Could Exist Pursuant to Exercise of Outstanding Stock Instruments and Which were not Included in Calculation (Detail)</link:definition>
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        <link:definition>130 - Disclosure - Common Stock - Additional Information (Detail)</link:definition>
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        <link:definition>131 - Disclosure - Galectin Science LLC - Additional Information (Detail)</link:definition>
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  <element name="ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsGrantsInPeriodWeightedAverageExercisePrice" id="galt_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsGrantsInPeriodWeightedAverageExercisePrice" type="num:perShareItemType" abstract="false" xbrli:periodType="duration" nillable="true" substitutionGroup="xbrli:item"/>
  <element name="ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsOutstandingWeightedAverageExercisePrice" id="galt_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsOutstandingWeightedAverageExercisePrice" type="num:perShareItemType" abstract="false" xbrli:periodType="instant" nillable="true" substitutionGroup="xbrli:item"/>
  <element name="ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsWeightedAverageExercisePriceAbstract" id="galt_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsWeightedAverageExercisePriceAbstract" type="xbrli:stringItemType" abstract="true" xbrli:periodType="duration" nillable="true" substitutionGroup="xbrli:item"/>
  <element name="StockWarrantsTextBlock" id="galt_StockWarrantsTextBlock" type="nonnum:textBlockItemType" abstract="false" xbrli:periodType="duration" nillable="true" substitutionGroup="xbrli:item"/>
  <element name="SupplementalDividendsOnConvertiblePreferredStock" id="galt_SupplementalDividendsOnConvertiblePreferredStock" type="xbrli:monetaryItemType" abstract="false" xbrli:periodType="duration" xbrli:balance="debit" nillable="true" substitutionGroup="xbrli:item"/>
  <element name="TwoThousandFourteenAtMarketSalesAgreementMember" id="galt_TwoThousandFourteenAtMarketSalesAgreementMember" type="nonnum:domainItemType" abstract="true" xbrli:periodType="duration" nillable="true" substitutionGroup="xbrli:item"/>
  <element name="TwoThousandSeventeenAtMarketSalesAgreementMember" id="galt_TwoThousandSeventeenAtMarketSalesAgreementMember" type="nonnum:domainItemType" abstract="true" xbrli:periodType="duration" nillable="true" substitutionGroup="xbrli:item"/>
  <element name="UndesignatedCapitalStockParValue" id="galt_UndesignatedCapitalStockParValue" type="num:perShareItemType" abstract="false" xbrli:periodType="instant" nillable="true" substitutionGroup="xbrli:item"/>
  <element name="UndesignatedCapitalStockSharesAuthorized" id="galt_UndesignatedCapitalStockSharesAuthorized" type="xbrli:sharesItemType" abstract="false" xbrli:periodType="instant" nillable="true" substitutionGroup="xbrli:item"/>
  <element name="UndesignatedCapitalStockSharesOutstanding" id="galt_UndesignatedCapitalStockSharesOutstanding" type="xbrli:sharesItemType" abstract="false" xbrli:periodType="instant" nillable="true" substitutionGroup="xbrli:item"/>
  <element name="UndesignatedCapitalStockValue" id="galt_UndesignatedCapitalStockValue" type="xbrli:monetaryItemType" abstract="false" xbrli:periodType="instant" xbrli:balance="credit" nillable="true" substitutionGroup="xbrli:item"/>
  <element name="UnsecuredLineOfCreditMember" id="galt_UnsecuredLineOfCreditMember" type="nonnum:domainItemType" abstract="true" xbrli:periodType="duration" nillable="true" substitutionGroup="xbrli:item"/>
  <element name="VendorMember" id="galt_VendorMember" type="nonnum:domainItemType" abstract="true" xbrli:periodType="duration" nillable="true" substitutionGroup="xbrli:item"/>
  <element name="WarrantExpirationDate" id="galt_WarrantExpirationDate" type="xbrli:dateItemType" abstract="false" xbrli:periodType="duration" nillable="true" substitutionGroup="xbrli:item"/>
  <element name="WarrantsAndRightsOutstandingMeasurementInputPercentage" id="galt_WarrantsAndRightsOutstandingMeasurementInputPercentage" type="num:percentItemType" abstract="false" xbrli:periodType="duration" nillable="true" substitutionGroup="xbrli:item"/>
</schema>




