Holding in Company

AstraZeneca PLC
22 January 2004


COMPANIES ACT 1985 SECTION 198

DISCLOSURE OF INTEREST IN VOTING SHARES IN PUBLIC COMPANIES


ON 22 JAN 2004 WE WERE INFORMED BY THE CAPITAL GROUP COMPANIES, INC., A
REGISTERED INVESTMENT MANAGER IN THE U.S., THAT ON 20 JAN 2004 ITS INTEREST IN
THE USD0.25 ORDINARY SHARES OF ASTRAZENECA PLC HAD INCREASED TO 256,568,628
SHARES (15.16 PER CENT OF THE CURRENT ISSUED ORDINARY CAPITAL) FROM THE
PREVIOUSLY NOTIFIED LEVEL OF 240,060,302 SHARES (14.03 PER CENT).

G H R MUSKER
COMPANY SECRETARY

22 JANUARY 2004


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