Purchase of Own Securities

AstraZeneca PLC
05 December 2002



                    REPURCHASE OF SHARES IN ASTRAZENECA PLC

AstraZeneca PLC announces that on 4 December 2002, it purchased for cancellation
600,000 ordinary shares of AstraZeneca PLC at a price of 2393 pence per share.
Upon the cancellation of these shares, the number of shares in issue will be
1,721,392,832.


G H R Musker
Company Secretary
5 December 2002


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