Transaction in Own Shares

AstraZeneca PLC
12 August 2004


                    REPURCHASE OF SHARES IN ASTRAZENECA PLC

AstraZeneca PLC announced that on 11 August 2004, it purchased for cancellation
800,000 ordinary shares of AstraZeneca PLC at a price of 2376 pence per share.
Upon the cancellation of these shares, the number of shares in issue will be
1,668,337,373.

G H R Musker
Company Secretary
12 August 2004


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