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 each granted an award
under the terms of the AstraZeneca Performance Share 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


                       Target number of shares        Award price per share
                       awarded
                                                                                Normal vesting date
Name of individual


B Angelici             26,781                         2975p                     24 March 2009


A P Bloxham            13,847                         2975p                     24 March 2009


J Lundberg             18,475                         2975p                     24 March 2009


M Nicklasson           18,473                         2975p                     24 March 2009


B J Thorpe             13,834                         2975p                     24 March 2009


A Zook                 37,624                         US$51.73                  24 March 2009



The AstraZeneca Performance Share Plan was approved by shareholders at the
Company's AGM in 2005.  Awards made under the Plan may not generally vest before
the third anniversary of the relevant date of grant nor unless the specified
performance target(s) have been met at the end of the three year period which,
for this award, is 1 January 2006 to 31 December 2008.



The performance target that applies to this award is the Company's Total
Shareholder Return ('TSR') compared to the TSR of a selected peer group of 12
other pharmaceutical companies.  The actual number of shares to which a
participant may become unconditionally entitled will depend on the extent to
which the performance target(s) have been met.  A summary of the Plan, including
a more detailed explanation of the performance target(s), can be found in the
AstraZeneca Annual Report and Form 20-F Information 2005 which is available on
the Company's website www.astrazeneca.com.



On 25 March 2005, Anthony Zook, Executive Vice-President, North America, became
unconditionally entitled to a final award of 11,494 American Depositary Shares
(ADSs) on the partial vesting of an original target award of 11,973 ADSs, which
were awarded to him in March 2003 under the terms of the AstraZeneca US
Executive Performance Share Plan.  Mr Zook has ceased to have an interest in the
479 ADSs of the original target award that did not vest.  The closing price of
AstraZeneca ADSs on 24 March 2006 was US$51.73.  One ADS equals one Ordinary
Share.



G H R Musker
Company Secretary
28 March 2006




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