Purchase of Own Securities

AstraZeneca PLC
15 March 2001

REPURCHASE OF SHARES IN ASTRAZENECA PLC

AstraZeneca PLC announces that on 14 March 2001, it purchased for cancellation
250,000 ordinary shares of AstraZeneca PLC at a price of 3056 pence per share.
Upon the cancellation of these shares, the number of shares in issue will be
1,764,108,233.

G H R Musker
Company Secretary
15 March 2001