Purchase of Own Securities

AstraZeneca PLC
7 March 2002



                    REPURCHASE OF SHARES IN ASTRAZENECA PLC


AstraZeneca PLC announces that on 6 March 2002, it purchased for cancellation
200,000 ordinary shares of AstraZeneca PLC at a price of 3477 pence per share.
Upon the cancellation of these shares, the number of shares in issue will be
1,744,486,810.



G H R Musker

Company Secretary

7 March 2002



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