Purchase of Own Securities

AstraZeneca PLC
9 August 2001

                   REPURCHASE OF SHARES IN ASTRAZENECA PLC


AstraZeneca PLC announces that on 8 August 2001, it purchased for cancellation
300,000 ordinary shares of AstraZeneca PLC at a price of 3454 pence per share.
Upon the cancellation of these shares, the number of shares in issue will be
1,759,373,872.




G H R Musker
Company Secretary
9 August 2001