Purchase of Own Securities

AstraZeneca PLC
28 August 2001


                   REPURCHASE OF SHARES IN ASTRAZENECA PLC



AstraZeneca PLC announces that on 24 August 2001, it purchased for
cancellation 700,000 ordinary shares of AstraZeneca PLC at a price of 3275
pence per share. Upon the cancellation of these shares, the number of shares
in issue will be 1,756,075,718.



G H R Musker

Company Secretary

28 August 2001