A process for preparing a final formulation product of a compound of Formula Ia, <CWU><CHEM-US ID="CHEM-US-00012"><CHEMCDX ID="CHEMCDX-00012" ALT="chemistry chemdraw file" FILE="US06486150-20021126-C00012.CDX"/><CHEMMOL ID="CHEMMOL-00012" D="EMI-C00012" ALT="embedded image" HE="79.2099" WI="212.9085" FILE="US06486150-20021126-C00012.TIF"/> or its pharmaceutically acceptable salt, or hydrates wherein, R4, R5, and R6 are independently: (a) hydrogen (b) (C1-C6)-alkyl, or (c) alkali-metal or alkali earth-metal wherein the alkali-metal or alkali earth-metal is sodium, potassium, lithium, cesium, rubidium, barium, calcium or magnesium; comprising the steps of: (1) charging a solution of carbon dioxide source having a pH range of about 6.0 to about 12.0 into a reaction vessel; (2) adding an effective amount of a mole ratio of a base and an active ingredient into the reaction vessel containing the solution of carbon dioxide source to maintain pH at about 6.0 to about 9.0 and a temperature range of about −3° C. to about 15° C.; (3) lyophilizing the solution of Step (2) to yield the final formulation product of a compound of formula Ia with less than about 10% of moisture content. view more

The process of claim 21, wherein the carbon dioxide source is selected from the group consisting of carbon dioxide, sodium bicarbonate, potassium bicarbonate, sodium carbonate, potassium carbonate, calcium carbonate, cesium carbonate, magnesium carbonate, lithium carbonate, and a mixture thereof. view more

The process of claim 22, wherein the carbon dioxide source is sodium bicarbonate.

The process of claim 23, wherein the carbon dioxide source in Step (1) is present in an amount relative to the amount of active ingredient, wherein a mole ratio of carbon dioxide source to the active ingredient is about 0.5 to about 1.5.

The process of claim 24, wherein the carbon dioxide source in Step (1) is present in an amount relative to the amount of active ingredient, wherein a mole ratio of carbon dioxide source to the active ingredient is about 0.8 to about 1.2.

The process of claim 25, wherein the pH range in Step (1) is about 7.0 to about 9.0.

The process of claim 26, wherein a temperature range in Step (1) is about −3° C. to about 15° C.

The process of claim 27, where the active ingredient is a compound of formula (a)′, <CWU><CHEM-US ID="CHEM-US-00013"><CHEMCDX ID="CHEMCDX-00013" ALT="chemistry chemdraw file" FILE="US06486150-20021126-C00013.CDX"/><CHEMMOL ID="CHEMMOL-00013" D="EMI-C00013" ALT="embedded image" HE="86.184" WI="211.46265" FILE="US06486150-20021126-C00013.TIF"/> view more

The process of claim 28, wherein the base is selected from the group consisting of sodium hydroxide, lithium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, calcium hydroxide, barium hydroxide, magnesium hydroxide, lithium methoxide, sodium methoxide, potassium methoxide, calcium methoxide, lithium ethoxide, sodium ethoxide, potassium ethoxide, lithium tert-butoxide, sodium tert-butoxide and potassium tert- butoxide. view more

The process of claim 29, wherein the base is sodium hydroxide at a concentration range of about 1N to about 3N.

The process of claim 30, wherein the effective amount of a mole ratio of a base to an active ingredient in Step (2) is about 0.7 to about 1.0.

The process of claim 31, wherein the mole ratio of a base to an active ingredient in Step (2) is about 0.8 to about 0.9.

The process of claim 32, wherein the pH range in Step (2) is about 7.0 to about 8.0.

The process of claim 33, wherein the temperature range in Step (2) is about −1° C. to about 5° C.

A pharmaceutical composition which is comprised of a compound represented by formula II: ##STR9## or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt, prodrug or hydrate thereof, in combination with a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.

A method of stabilizing a carbapenem of the formula I: ##STR11## or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt, prodrug or hydrate thereof, comprising adding to the compound a sufficient amount of a carbon dioxide source to form a compound of formula II: ##STR12## or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt, prodrug or hydrate thereof. view more

A method in accordance with claim 4 wherein the carbon dioxide source is selected from carbon dioxide, sodium carbonate and sodium bicarbonate.

A method in accordance with claim 5 wherein the carbon dioxide source is selected from sodium carbonate and sodium bicarbonate.