Purchase of Own Securities

AstraZeneca PLC
13 December 2001

                   REPURCHASE OF SHARES IN ASTRAZENECA PLC





AstraZeneca PLC announces that on 12 December 2001, it purchased for
cancellation 1,000,000 ordinary shares of AstraZeneca PLC at a price of 3066
pence per share. Upon the cancellation of these shares, the number of shares
in issue will be 1,746,655,488.







G H R Musker

Company Secretary

13 December 2001