Transaction in Own Shares

AstraZeneca PLC
08 December 2003

                    REPURCHASE OF SHARES IN ASTRAZENECA PLC


AstraZeneca PLC announced that on 5 December 2003, it purchased for cancellation
700,000 ordinary shares of AstraZeneca PLC at a price of 2660 pence per share.
Upon the cancellation of these shares, the number of shares in issue will be
1,695,066,044.




G H R Musker
Company Secretary
8 December 2003


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