This compound can be obtained by two different ways: 1) By fluorination of 8,9-anhydroerythromycin A 6,9-hemiketal N-oxide (I) with trifluoromethyl hypofluorite (or perchloryl fluoride), followed by reduction of the corresponding N-oxide obtained. 2) By biological synthesis, starting from (8S)-8-fluoroerythronolide A (II) in a culture broth of Streptomyces erythraeus ATCC 31772, a blocked mutant of an erythromycin-producing strain.