Purchase of Own Securities

AstraZeneca PLC
13 May 2002

                    REPURCHASE OF SHARES IN ASTRAZENECA PLC





AstraZeneca PLC announces that on 10 May 2002, it purchased for cancellation
350,000 ordinary shares of AstraZeneca PLC at a price of 3131 pence per share.
Upon the cancellation of these shares, the number of shares in issue will be
1,735,476,900.







G H R Musker
Company Secretary
13 May 2002



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