isolation may also be carried out according known e g by filtration carmoterol hemi fumarate may be formulated in any convenient way the invention also provides pharmaceutical compositions comprising the salt of the present invention and one or more pharmaceutically acceptable carriers or excipients such as diluents wetting agents emulsifying agents binders coatings fillers glidants lubricants disintegrants preservatives stabilizers surfactants ph buffering substances flavouring agents and the like a comprehensive guidance on pharmaceutical excipients is given in remington 39 s pharmaceutical sciences handbook xvii ed mack pub n y u s a which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety the salt of the present invention may be formulated for oral buccal topical parenteral vaginal rectal or inhalation administration preferably for inhalation administration inhalable compositions include inhalable dry powders pressurized metered dose inhalers pmdi formulations containing propellants such as hydrofluoroalkanes hfas or propellant free inhalable solution or suspension formulations the present invention preferably provides a powder formulation for inhalation comprising the salt of the present invention in the form of interactive ordered mixture wherein the carrier particles have a mass median diameter mmd higher than 50 microns preferably higher than 90 microns the carrier particles may comprise one or more pharmacologically inert physiologically acceptable excipients such as crystalline sugars preferably lactose most preferably alpha lactose monohydrate more advantageously said formulation comprises a fraction of coarse particles made of alpha lactose monohydrate said particles having a mmd higher than 90 microns preferably the mass diameter md comprised between 50 microns and 500 microns more preferably between 150.