Purchase of Own Securities

AstraZeneca PLC
30 October 2001



                   REPURCHASE OF SHARES IN ASTRAZENECA PLC


AstraZeneca PLC announces that on 29 October 2001, it purchased for
cancellation 200,000 ordinary shares of AstraZeneca PLC at a price of 3090
pence per share. Upon the cancellation of these shares, the number of shares
in issue will be 1,751,110,396.


G H R Musker

Company Secretary

30 October 2001