A crystalline form of epirubicin hydrochloride, named herein as "type II" crystalline epirubicin hydrochloride, has excellent thermal stability. Type II crystalline epirubicin hydrochloride has a powder X-ray diffraction pattern having average values of diffraction angle (2.theta.) and relative intensity P(%) as presented in the following table: TABLE-US-00001 Diffraction Angle Relative Intensity 2.THETA. P (%) 5.236 9.8 9.212 12.5 13.732 15.5 16.446 4.8 18.234 5 21.114 9.7 22.529 25.5 24.071 29.9 25.879 18.4 27.762 16.5 29.757 10.1 34.392 4.4 38.157 13.1 44.293 5.9 64.699 7.7 77.815 100.