Purchase of Own Securities

AstraZeneca PLC
11 December 2001


                   REPURCHASE OF SHARES IN ASTRAZENECA PLC


AstraZeneca PLC announces that on 10 December 2001, it purchased for
cancellation 250,000 ordinary shares of AstraZeneca PLC at a price of 3179
pence per share. Upon the cancellation of these shares, the number of shares
in issue will be 1,748,155,488.


G H R Musker

Company Secretary

11 December 2001