Purchase of Own Securities

AstraZeneca PLC
14 May 2002


                    REPURCHASE OF SHARES IN ASTRAZENECA PLC


AstraZeneca PLC announces that on 13 May 2002, it purchased for cancellation
300,000 ordinary shares of AstraZeneca PLC at a price of 3077 pence per share.
Upon the cancellation of these shares, the number of shares in issue will be
1,735,176,900.


G H R Musker

Company Secretary

14 May 2002



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