Process of purifying vancomycin hydrochloride

A method of purifying vancomycin HCl from a fermentation broth of a microorganism containing vancomycin, comprising:

• passing the fermentation broth of a microorganism containing vancomycin through a strong acid cation exchange resin at pH 1–3 and eluting vancomycin with a 0.05 to 0.2 N ammonium hydroxide solution in water having a pH of 9–11;
• adjusting a pH of the eluted solution to 3–5, passing the solution through a weak base anion exchange resin and subsequently alumina, and then washing the weak base anion exchange resin and alumina with water to elute vancomycin, and decolorizing vancomycin;
• passing the eluted solution through a hydrophobic absorbent resin and eluting vancomycin with an aqueous solution of C1–4 alcohol;
• and
• adding hydrochloric acid to the eluted solution to adjust the pH of the eluted solution to 2–5 and adding an water-soluble organic solvent selected from the group consisting of a C1–4 alcohol, acetonitrile, acetone, and methyl isobutyl ketone to the eluted solution to crystallize vancomycin HCl.