Purchase of Own Securities

AstraZeneca PLC
21 September 2001

                   REPURCHASE OF SHARES IN ASTRAZENECA PLC

AstraZeneca PLC announces that on 20 September 2001, it purchased for
cancellation 300,000 ordinary shares of AstraZeneca PLC at a price of 3032
pence per share. Upon the cancellation of these shares, the number of shares
in issue will be 1,752,545,843.


G H R Musker

Company Secretary

21 September 2001