Purchase of Own Securities

AstraZeneca PLC
15 March 2002


                    REPURCHASE OF SHARES IN ASTRAZENECA PLC


AstraZeneca PLC announces that on 14 March 2002, it purchased for cancellation
150,000 ordinary shares of AstraZeneca PLC at a price of 3479 pence per share.
Upon the cancellation of these shares, the number of shares in issue will be
1,744,043,265.


G H R Musker
Company Secretary
15 March 2002


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