Purchase of Own Securities

AstraZeneca PLC
6 August 2001



                   REPURCHASE OF SHARES IN ASTRAZENECA PLC

AstraZeneca PLC announces that on 3 August 2001, it purchased for cancellation
200,000 ordinary shares of AstraZeneca PLC at a price of 3478 pence per share.
Upon the cancellation of these shares, the number of shares in issue will be
1,759,643,483.


G H R Musker
Company Secretary
6 August 2001