Transaction in Own Shares

AstraZeneca PLC
21 May 2004


REPURCHASE OF SHARES IN ASTRAZENECA PLC

AstraZeneca PLC announced that on 20 May 2004, it purchased for cancellation
600,000 ordinary shares of AstraZeneca PLC at a price of 2597 pence per share.
Upon the cancellation of these shares, the number of shares in issue will be
1,680,316,461.

G H R Musker
Company Secretary
21 May 2004

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