Purchase of Own Securities

AstraZeneca PLC
31 August 2001



                   REPURCHASE OF SHARES IN ASTRAZENECA PLC


AstraZeneca PLC announces that on 30 August 2001, it purchased for
cancellation 650,000 ordinary shares of AstraZeneca PLC at a price of 3289
pence per share. Upon the cancellation of these shares, the number of shares
in issue will be 1,755,325,718.


G H R Musker
Company Secretary
31 August 2001