Purchase of Own Securities

AstraZeneca PLC
10 December 2001

                   REPURCHASE OF SHARES IN ASTRAZENECA PLC


AstraZeneca PLC announces that on 7 December 2001, it purchased for
cancellation 350,000 ordinary shares of AstraZeneca PLC at a price of 3167
pence per share. Upon the cancellation of these shares, the number of shares
in issue will be 1,748,405,488.







G H R Musker
Company Secretary
10 December 2001