Purchase of Own Securities

AstraZeneca PLC
24 August 2001

                   REPURCHASE OF SHARES IN ASTRAZENECA PLC



AstraZeneca PLC announces that on 23 August 2001, it purchased for
cancellation 810,000 ordinary shares of AstraZeneca PLC at a price of 3283
pence per share. Upon the cancellation of these shares, the number of shares
in issue will be 1,756,775,718.







G H R Musker

Company Secretary

24 August 2001