Purchase of Own Securities

AstraZeneca PLC
25 March 2002


                    REPURCHASE OF SHARES IN ASTRAZENECA PLC

AstraZeneca PLC announces that on 22 March 2002, it purchased for cancellation
300,000 ordinary shares of AstraZeneca PLC at a price of 3426 pence per share.
Upon the cancellation of these shares, the number of shares in issue will be
1,742,696,245.


G H R Musker
Company Secretary
25 March 2002


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