Purchase of Own Securities

AstraZeneca PLC
17 December 2001


                   REPURCHASE OF SHARES IN ASTRAZENECA PLC


AstraZeneca PLC announces that on 14 December 2001, it purchased for
cancellation 590,000 ordinary shares of AstraZeneca PLC at a price of 3041
pence per share. Upon the cancellation of these shares, the number of shares
in issue will be 1,745,315,488.


G H R Musker

Company Secretary

17 December 2001