Director/PDMR Shareholding

AstraZeneca PLC
28 March 2006

Transaction by Persons Discharging Managerial Responsibilities
Disclosure Rules DR 3.1.2R

We hereby inform you that on 24 March 2006 the following individuals, who are
all persons discharging managerial responsibilities, were granted options under
the AstraZeneca Share Option Plan over the Company's USD0.25 Ordinary Shares or,
in the case of A Zook, over the Company's American Depositary Shares (ADSs).
One ADS equals one Ordinary Share

                         Number of shares     Exercise price   Period when     
                         over which option    per share        exercisable     
Name of individual       is granted                                  

B Angelici               36,048               2975p            24.3.09-23.3.16

A P Bloxham              18,519               2975p            24.3.09-23.3.16

J Lundberg               23,068               2975p            24.3.09-23.3.16

M Nicklasson             23,092               2975p            24.3.09-23.3.16

B J Thorpe               18,496               2975p            24.3.09-23.3.16

A Zook                   51,676               US$51.73         24.3.09-23.3.16

The options will become exercisable on 24 March 2009 subject to certain
performance conditions.  The conditions, which will not be subject to any
retesting, are that the earnings per share of the Company must increase by the
increase in the UK Retail Prices Index plus 5% per annum on average over three
years, and that no significant unforeseen event has taken place which, in the
reasonable opinion of the Remuneration Committee, has resulted in major
reputational damage to AstraZeneca, and the circumstances of which are
exceptional enough to justify the option not vesting and becoming exercisable.
Failure to satisfy either or both of these conditions will result in the lapse
of the option in its entirety.

G H R Musker
Company Secretary
28 March 2006




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