Transaction in Own Shares

AstraZeneca PLC
26 July 2004




                  REPURCHASE OF SHARES IN ASTRAZENECA PLC


AstraZeneca PLC announced that on 23 July 2004, it purchased for cancellation
500,000 ordinary shares of AstraZeneca PLC at a price of 2424 pence per share.
Upon the cancellation of these shares, the number of shares in issue will be
1,673,193,869.


G H R Musker
Company Secretary
26 July 2004




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