Purchase of Own Securities

AstraZeneca PLC
18 September 2001


                   REPURCHASE OF SHARES IN ASTRAZENECA PLC



AstraZeneca PLC announces that on 17 September 2001, it purchased for
cancellation 100,000 ordinary shares of AstraZeneca PLC at a price of 3044
pence per share. Upon the cancellation of these shares, the number of shares
in issue will be 1,752,840,533.



G H R Musker

Company Secretary

18 September 2001