Purchase of Own Securities

AstraZeneca PLC
14 December 2001

                   REPURCHASE OF SHARES IN ASTRAZENECA PLC


AstraZeneca PLC announces that on 13 December 2001, it purchased for
cancellation 750,000 ordinary shares of AstraZeneca PLC at a price of 3081
pence per share. Upon the cancellation of these shares, the number of shares
in issue will be 1,745,905,488.


G H R Musker
Company Secretary
14 December 2001