Purchase of Own Securities

AstraZeneca PLC
1 June 2001


REPURCHASE OF SHARES IN ASTRAZENECA PLC

AstraZeneca PLC announces that on 31 May 2001, it purchased for cancellation
350,000 ordinary shares of AstraZeneca PLC at an average price of 32.89 pence
per share.  Upon the cancellation of these shares, the number of shares in
issue will be 1,760,207,848.

G H R Musker
Company Secretary
1 June 2001