Holding in Company

AstraZeneca PLC
2 July 2001


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

ON 28 JUNE 2001 WE WERE INFORMED BY THE CAPITAL GROUP COMPANIES, INC., A
REGISTERED INVESTMENT MANAGER IN THE U.S., THAT ON 26 JUNE 2001 ITS INTEREST
IN THE USD0.25 ORDINARY SHARES OF ASTRAZENECA PLC HAD INCREASED TO 193,668,081
SHARES (11.00 PER CENT OF THE ISSUED ORDINARY CAPITAL) FROM THE PREVIOUSLY
NOTIFIED LEVEL OF 189,375,815 SHARES (10.76 PER CENT). 

G H R MUSKER
COMPANY SECRETARY