Purchase of Own Securities

AstraZeneca PLC
7 September 2001



                   REPURCHASE OF SHARES IN ASTRAZENECA PLC


AstraZeneca PLC announces that on 6 September 2001, it purchased for
cancellation 200,000 ordinary shares of AstraZeneca PLC at a price of 3165
pence per share. Upon the cancellation of these shares, the number of shares
in issue will be 1,754,300,533.



G H R Musker

Company Secretary

7 September 2001