Transaction in Own Shares

AstraZeneca PLC
19 May 2004

              REPURCHASE OF SHARES IN ASTRAZENECA PLC


AstraZeneca PLC announced that on 18 May 2004, it purchased for cancellation
350,000 ordinary shares of AstraZeneca PLC at a price of 2650 pence per share.
Upon the cancellation of these shares, the number of shares in issue will be
1,681,411,912.





G H R Musker
Company Secretary
19 May 2004


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