content: <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><edgarSubmission xmlns="http://www.sec.gov/edgar/ownership" xmlns:com="http://www.sec.gov/edgar/common">
    <headerData>
      <submissionType>144</submissionType>
      <filerInfo>
        <filer>
          <filerCredentials>
            <cik>0001522478</cik>
            <ccc>XXXXXXXX</ccc>
          </filerCredentials>
        </filer>
        <liveTestFlag>LIVE</liveTestFlag>
  
  
  
      </filerInfo>
    </headerData>
    <formData>
      <issuerInfo>
        <issuerCik>0001133416</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>GALECTIN THERAPEUTICS INC</issuerName>
        <secFileNumber>001-31791</secFileNumber>
        <issuerAddress>
          <com:street1>4960 PEACHTREE INDUSTRIAL BOULEVARD</com:street1>
          <com:street2>SUITE 240</com:street2>
          <com:city>NORCROSS</com:city>
          <com:stateOrCountry>GA</com:stateOrCountry>
          <com:zipCode>30071</com:zipCode>
        </issuerAddress>
        <issuerContactPhone>678-620-3186</issuerContactPhone>
        <nameOfPersonForWhoseAccountTheSecuritiesAreToBeSold>FREEMAN KEVIN D</nameOfPersonForWhoseAccountTheSecuritiesAreToBeSold>
        <relationshipsToIssuer>
          <relationshipToIssuer>Director</relationshipToIssuer>
        </relationshipsToIssuer>
      </issuerInfo>
      <securitiesInformation>
        <securitiesClassTitle>Common</securitiesClassTitle>
        <brokerOrMarketmakerDetails>
          <name>Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC Executive Financial Services</name>
          <address>
            <com:street1>1 New York Plaza</com:street1>
            <com:street2>38th Floor</com:street2>
            <com:city>New York</com:city>
            <com:stateOrCountry>NY</com:stateOrCountry>
            <com:zipCode>10004</com:zipCode>
          </address>
        </brokerOrMarketmakerDetails>
        <noOfUnitsSold>7571</noOfUnitsSold>
        <aggregateMarketValue>12681.42</aggregateMarketValue>
        <noOfUnitsOutstanding>59582253</noOfUnitsOutstanding>
        <approxSaleDate>09/07/2023</approxSaleDate>
        <securitiesExchangeName>NASDAQ</securitiesExchangeName>
      </securitiesInformation>
      <securitiesToBeSold>
        <securitiesClassTitle>Common</securitiesClassTitle>
        <acquiredDate>12/24/2021</acquiredDate>
        <natureOfAcquisitionTransaction>Open Market Purchase</natureOfAcquisitionTransaction>
        <nameOfPersonfromWhomAcquired>Open Market</nameOfPersonfromWhomAcquired>
        <isGiftTransaction>N</isGiftTransaction>
        <amountOfSecuritiesAcquired>7571</amountOfSecuritiesAcquired>
        <paymentDate>12/24/2021</paymentDate>
        <natureOfPayment>Cash</natureOfPayment>
      </securitiesToBeSold>
      <nothingToReportFlagOnSecuritiesSoldInPast3Months>Y</nothingToReportFlagOnSecuritiesSoldInPast3Months>
      <noticeSignature>
        <noticeDate>09/11/2023</noticeDate>
        <signature>/s/ Kevin D Freeman, as Trustee</signature>
      </noticeSignature>
    </formData>
  </edgarSubmission>
metadata_documents: [{"type": "144", "sequence": "1", "filename": "primary_doc.xml", "secsgml_size_bytes": 2869}]
text: 144
  0001522478
  XXXXXXXX
  LIVE
  0001133416
  GALECTIN THERAPEUTICS INC
  001-31791
  4960 PEACHTREE INDUSTRIAL BOULEVARD
  SUITE 240
  NORCROSS
  GA
  30071
  678-620-3186
  FREEMAN KEVIN D
  Director
  Common
  Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC Executive Financial Services
  1 New York Plaza
  38th Floor
  New York
  NY
  10004
  7571
  12681.42
  59582253
  09/07/2023
  NASDAQ
  Common
  12/24/2021
  Open Market Purchase
  Open Market
  N
  7571
  12/24/2021
  Cash
  Y
  09/11/2023
  /s/ Kevin D Freeman, as Trustee