Purchase of Own Securities

AstraZeneca PLC
05 March 2003


                    REPURCHASE OF SHARES IN ASTRAZENECA PLC


AstraZeneca PLC announces that on 4 March 2003, it purchased for cancellation
550,000 ordinary shares of AstraZeneca PLC at a price of 2070 pence per share.
Upon the cancellation of these shares, the number of shares in issue will be
1,716,881,329.

G H R Musker
Company Secretary
5 March 2003

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