Purchase of Own Securities

AstraZeneca PLC
7 December 2001


                   REPURCHASE OF SHARES IN ASTRAZENECA PLC


AstraZeneca PLC announces that on 6 December 2001, it purchased for
cancellation 210,000 ordinary shares of AstraZeneca PLC at a price of 3183
pence per share. Upon the cancellation of these shares, the number of shares
in issue will be 1,748,755,488.


G H R Musker
Company Secretary
7 December 2001