Purchase of Own Securities

AstraZeneca PLC
7 March 2001

REPURCHASE OF SHARES IN ASTRAZENECA PLC

AstraZeneca PLC announces that on 6 March 2001, it purchased for cancellation
300,000 ordinary shares of AstraZeneca PLC at a price of 3133 pence per share.
Upon the cancellation of these shares, the number of shares in issue will be
1,765,297,750.

G H R Musker
Company Secretary
7 March 2001