Purchase of Own Securities

AstraZeneca PLC
31 October 2001

                   REPURCHASE OF SHARES IN ASTRAZENECA PLC

AstraZeneca PLC announces that on 30 October 2001, it purchased for
cancellation 100,000 ordinary shares of AstraZeneca PLC at a price of 3039
pence per share. Upon the cancellation of these shares, the number of shares
in issue will be 1,751,010,396.

G H R Musker

Company Secretary

31 October 2001