Purchase of Own Securities

AstraZeneca PLC
22 February 2001


REPURCHASE OF SHARES IN ASTRAZENECA PLC

AstraZeneca PLC announces that on 21 February 2001, it purchased for
cancellation 750,000 ordinary shares of AstraZeneca PLC at a price of 3053
pence per share. Upon the cancellation of these shares, the number of shares
in issue will be 1,766,164,815.

G H R Musker
Company Secretary
22 February 2001