Purchase of Own Securities

AstraZeneca PLC
21 August 2002



REPURCHASE OF SHARES IN ASTRAZENECA PLC

AstraZeneca PLC announces that on 20 August 2002, it purchased for cancellation
500,000 ordinary shares of AstraZeneca PLC at a price of 1984 pence per share.
Upon the cancellation of these shares, the number of shares in issue will be
1,728,035,996.



G H R Musker

Company Secretary

21 August 2002




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