Capital Group

AstraZeneca PLC
08 May 2003


COMPANIES ACT 1985 SECTION 198
DISCLOSURE OF INTEREST IN VOTING SHARES IN PUBLIC COMPANIES

ON 8 MAY 2003 WE WERE INFORMED BY THE CAPITAL GROUP COMPANIES, INC., A
REGISTERED INVESTMENT MANAGER IN THE U.S., THAT ON 7 MAY 2003 ITS INTEREST IN
THE USD0.25 ORDINARY SHARES OF ASTRAZENECA PLC HAD INCREASED TO 222,868,165
SHARES (13.00 PER CENT OF THE CURRENT ISSUED ORDINARY CAPITAL) FROM THE
PREVIOUSLY NOTIFIED LEVEL OF 219,499,365 SHARES (12.80 PER CENT).

G H R MUSKER
COMPANY SECRETARY
8 MAY 2003


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