Purchase of Own Securities

AstraZeneca PLC
24 September 2001

                   REPURCHASE OF SHARES IN ASTRAZENECA PLC

AstraZeneca PLC announces that on 21 September 2001, it purchased for
cancellation 750,000 ordinary shares of AstraZeneca PLC at a price of 2871
pence per share. Upon the cancellation of these shares, the number of shares
in issue will be 1,751,795,843.

G H R Musker
Company Secretary
24 September 2001