Transaction in Own Shares

AstraZeneca PLC
17 August 2004

                    REPURCHASE OF SHARES IN ASTRAZENECA PLC


AstraZeneca PLC announced that on 16 August 2004, it purchased for cancellation
550,000 ordinary shares of AstraZeneca PLC at a price of 2391 pence per share.
Upon the cancellation of these shares, the number of shares in issue will be
1,667,393,288.


G H R Musker
Company Secretary
17 August 2004


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