Purchase of Own Securities

AstraZeneca PLC
17 August 2001


                   REPURCHASE OF SHARES IN ASTRAZENECA PLC



AstraZeneca PLC announces that on 16 August 2001, it purchased for
cancellation 250,000 ordinary shares of AstraZeneca PLC at a price of 3315
pence per share. Upon the cancellation of these shares, the number of shares
in issue will be 1,758,498,018.




G H R Musker

Company Secretary

17 August 2001