Purchase of Own Securities

AstraZeneca PLC
15 August 2001

                REPURCHASE OF SHARES IN ASTRAZENECA PLC


AstraZeneca PLC announces that on 14 August 2001, it purchased for
cancellation 300,000 ordinary shares of AstraZeneca PLC at a price of 3349
pence per share. Upon the cancellation of these shares, the number of shares
in issue will be 1,758,873,872.




G H R Musker
Company Secretary
15 August 2001