Purchase of Own Securities

AstraZeneca PLC
3 May 2002

                    REPURCHASE OF SHARES IN ASTRAZENECA PLC

AstraZeneca PLC announces that on 2 May 2002, it purchased for cancellation
600,000 ordinary shares of AstraZeneca PLC at a price of 3209 pence per share.
Upon the cancellation of these shares, the number of shares in issue will be
1,736,926,900.







G H R Musker

Company Secretary

3 May 2002



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