Transaction in Own Shares

AstraZeneca PLC
17 March 2004


                     REPURCHASE OF SHARES IN ASTRAZENECA PLC

AstraZeneca PLC announced that on 16 March 2004, it purchased for cancellation
400,000 ordinary shares of AstraZeneca PLC at a price of 2671 pence per share.
Upon the cancellation of these shares, the number of shares in issue will be
1,682,419,530.


G H R Musker
Company Secretary
17 March 2004


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