The present invention provides a method for industrially producing an optically active lysine derivative useful as a pharmaceutical intermediate. More particularly, the present invention provides a production method including protecting an amino group or an amino group and carboxyl group of optically active 2-amino-6-methyl-6-nitroheptanoic acid with a protecting group, reducing a nitro group to synthesize a 6,6-dimethyl lysine derivative and reacting the 6,6-dimethyl lysine derivative with an acetic acid derivative.