A process for producing purified 7-[D(-)-.alpha.-(4-ethyl-2,3-dioxo-1-piperazinecarboxamido)-.alpha.-(4-hyd roxyphenyl)-acetamido]-3-[5-(1-methyl-1,2,3,4-tetrazolyl)thiomethyl].DELTA. .sup.3 -cephem-4-carboxylic acid represented by the formula (II), ##STR15## which comprises dissolving in dimethylacetamide the compound represented by the formula (II) associated with the by-products of its prior syntheses and thereafter precipitating from said solution the N,N-dimethylacetamide adduct of 7-[D(-)-.alpha.-(4-ethyl-2,3-dioxo-1-piperazinecarboxamido)-.alpha.-(4-hyd roxyphenyl)acetamido]-3-[5-(1-methyl-1,2,3,4-tetrazolyl)thiomethyl]-.DELTA. .sup.3 -cephem-4-carboxylic acid represented by the formula (I), ##STR16## and then treating the N,N-dimethylacetamide adduct of the formula (I) with a solvent for N,N-dimethylacetamide to remove the N,N-dimethylacetamide and to liberate purified compound (II).