Transaction in Own Shares

AstraZeneca PLC
02 August 2004

                    REPURCHASE OF SHARES IN ASTRAZENECA PLC

AstraZeneca PLC announced that on 30 July 2004, it purchased for cancellation
500,000 ordinary shares of AstraZeneca PLC at a price of 2465 pence per share.
Upon the cancellation of these shares, the number of shares in issue will be
1,671,799,969.


G H R Musker
Company Secretary
2 August 2004


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