Stmnt re Syngenta AG

AstraZeneca PLC
13 November 2000

DEALINGS COMMENCE IN SYNGENTA AG

AstraZeneca announces that dealings have commenced in shares of Syngenta AG.

Based on the price per Syngenta share in the Global Secondary Offering, the
declared amount of the AstraZeneca PLC dividend to facilitate the demerger of
Zeneca Agrochemicals is USD 2,117,172,514.  This is equivalent to a dividend
amount of USD 1.20 per AstraZeneca share (and £0.84 and SEK 11.95 per
AstraZeneca share).

The amount of the dividend has been satisfied by a dividend in specie of
Syngenta shares.

The final ratio for determining the number of Syngenta shares to be received
by AstraZeneca shareholders is 1 Syngenta share for every 40.237651
AstraZeneca shares held.

For UK shareholders liable to income tax on receipt of this dividend, the
Inland Revenue has agreed that the taxable income per share is the declared
amount described above.

For Further Information Contact :

Michael Olsson        Tel : ++44 207 304 5000


The content of this announcement has been approved by Credit Suisse First
Boston (Europe) Limited which is regulated in the UK by The Securities and
Futures Authority Limited, solely for the purposes of Section 57 of the
Financial Services Act 1986.

Credit Suisse First Boston (Europe) Limited is acting for Syngenta AG,
Novartis AG and AstraZeneca PLC and no one else in connection with the
transactions and will not be responsible to anyone other than Syngenta AG,
Novartis AG and AstraZeneca PLC for providing the protections afforded to
customers of Credit Suisse First Boston (Europe) Limited or for providing
advice in relation to the transactions. 

Prices and values of, and income from, shares can go down as well as up. Past
performance is not a guide to future performance. Persons needing advice
should consult an independent financial adviser.

This release does not constitute or form part of any offer or invitation to
sell or issue, or any solicitation of any offer to purchase or subscribe for,
any ordinary shares in Syngenta AG or Syngenta ADSs, nor shall it form the
basis of, or be relied on in connection with, any contract therefor.

Securities in the global offering may not be offered or sold in the United
States absent registration or exemption from registration under the U.S.
Securities Act of 1933. Any public offering of securities to be made in the
United States will be made by means of a prospectus that may be obtained from
the Company and that will contain detailed information about Syngenta and its
management, as well as financial statements.  Syngenta has filed a
registration statement relating to the offering of securities in the United
States, which is now effective.

The Global Offer Price has been converted into £ at the rate of CHF 2.517 to
£1 and into SEK at the rate of CHF 0.17683 to SEK1.