Purchase of Own Securities

AstraZeneca PLC
27 February 2001


REPURCHASE OF SHARES IN ASTRAZENECA PLC

AstraZeneca PLC announces that on 26 February 2001, it purchased for
cancellation 470,000 ordinary shares of AstraZeneca PLC at a price of 3080
pence per share. Upon the cancellation of these shares, the number of shares
in issue will be 1,765,694,815.

G H R Musker
Company Secretary
27 February 2001