Purchase of Own Securities

AstraZeneca PLC
8 December 1999

REPURCHASE OF SHARES IN ASTRAZENECA PLC

AstraZeneca PLC announces that on 7 December 1999, it purchased for
cancellation 1,000,000 ordinary shares of AstraZeneca PLC at a price of 2600
pence per share.

G H R Musker
Company Secretary