Purchase of Own Securities

AstraZeneca PLC
12 December 2001

                   REPURCHASE OF SHARES IN ASTRAZENECA PLC



AstraZeneca PLC announces that on 11 December 2001, it purchased for
cancellation 500,000 ordinary shares of AstraZeneca PLC at a price of 3139
pence per share. Upon the cancellation of these shares, the number of shares
in issue will be 1,747,655,488.




G H R Musker
Company Secretary
12 December 2001