Purchase of Own Securities

AstraZeneca PLC
5 December 2001


                   REPURCHASE OF SHARES IN ASTRAZENECA PLC


AstraZeneca PLC announces that on 4 December 2001, it purchased for
cancellation 100,000 ordinary shares of AstraZeneca PLC at a price of 3142
pence per share. Upon the cancellation of these shares, the number of shares
in issue will be 1,748,948,396.


G H R Musker

Company Secretary

5 December 2001