Purchase of Own Securities

AstraZeneca PLC
16 August 2001


                   REPURCHASE OF SHARES IN ASTRAZENECA PLC



AstraZeneca PLC announces that on 15 August 2001, it purchased for
cancellation 200,000 ordinary shares of AstraZeneca PLC at a price of 3345
pence per share. Upon the cancellation of these shares, the number of shares
in issue will be 1,758,748,018.



G H R Musker

Company Secretary

16 August 2001