Purchase of Own Securities

AstraZeneca PLC
30 August 2002



                    REPURCHASE OF SHARES IN ASTRAZENECA PLC


AstraZeneca PLC announces that on 29 August 2002, it purchased for cancellation
500,000 ordinary shares of AstraZeneca PLC at a price of 1862 pence per share.
Upon the cancellation of these shares, the number of shares in issue will be
1,727,035,996.




G H R Musker

Company Secretary

30 August 2002




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