Purchase of Own Securities

AstraZeneca PLC
02 September 2002


                    REPURCHASE OF SHARES IN ASTRAZENECA PLC


AstraZeneca PLC announces that on 30 August 2002, it purchased for cancellation
250,000 ordinary shares of AstraZeneca PLC at a price of 1853 pence per share.
Upon the cancellation of these shares, the number of shares in issue will be
1,726,785,996.

G H R Musker

Company Secretary

2 September 2002


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