Purchase of Own Securities

AstraZeneca PLC
22 March 2002

                    REPURCHASE OF SHARES IN ASTRAZENECA PLC


AstraZeneca PLC announces that on 21 March 2002, it purchased for cancellation
500,000 ordinary shares of AstraZeneca PLC at a price of 3416 pence per share.
Upon the cancellation of these shares, the number of shares in issue will be
1,742,996,245.


G H R Musker
Company Secretary
22 March 2002


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