Purchase of Own Securities

AstraZeneca PLC
26 March 2001


REPURCHASE OF SHARES IN ASTRAZENECA PLC

AstraZeneca PLC announces that on 23 March 2001, it purchased for cancellation
400,000 ordinary shares of AstraZeneca PLC at a price of 3136 pence per share.
Upon the cancellation of these shares, the number of shares in issue will be
1,763,739,809.

G H R Musker
Company Secretary
26 March 2001