Purchase of Own Securities

AstraZeneca PLC
19 May 2000

REPURCHASE OF SHARES IN ASTRAZENECA PLC

AstraZeneca PLC announces that on 18 May 2000, it purchased for cancellation
375,000 ordinary shares of AstraZeneca PLC at a price of 2741 pence per share.
Upon the cancellation of these shares, the number of shares in issue will be
1,769,936,243.

G H R Musker
Company Secretary