Purchase of Own Securities

AstraZeneca PLC
13 September 2001

                   REPURCHASE OF SHARES IN ASTRAZENECA PLC


AstraZeneca PLC announces that on 12 September 2001, it purchased for
cancellation 160,000 ordinary shares of AstraZeneca PLC at a price of 3054
pence per share. Upon the cancellation of these shares, the number of shares
in issue will be 1,752,940,533.







G H R Musker

Company Secretary

13 September 2001