Carbohydrates have emerged as a significant new approach to drug discovery. The impact can be seen in the carbohydrate‐based therapeutics recently approved for marketing. For example, the trend with low molecular weight heparin‐based products has culminated in the approval of a synthetic pentasaccharide for preventing venous thromboembolism after orthopedic surgery. Also, in the treatment of viral infection, two monosaccharide glycomimetic drugs that block neuraminidase are now available for the treatment of influenza. Indeed, at least two new carbohydrate‐based drugs were approved on an annual basis as therapeutics during the last decade. Considering the carbohydrate therapeutics now in development, this pace should continue. To continue long term, several objectives must be reached. Technologies to supply carbohydrates in quality and quantity must be refined or discovered. This includes any combination of automated, solid and solution phase, and enzymatic synthesis. Work demonstrating that carbohydrate multivalency is a successful approach to drug discovery needs to be done. Likewise, examples that illustrate how carbohydrate‐based libraries can accelerate drug discovery are also needed. An important factor for the success of carbohydrate‐based therapeutics in the last decade is the combination of glycobiology and carbohydrate chemistry.