Transaction in Own Shares

AstraZeneca PLC
18 August 2004


                    REPURCHASE OF SHARES IN ASTRAZENECA PLC

AstraZeneca PLC announced that on 17 August 2004, it purchased for cancellation
600,000 ordinary shares of AstraZeneca PLC at a price of 2394 pence per share.
Upon the cancellation of these shares, the number of shares in issue will be
1,666,793,288.

G H R Musker
Company Secretary
18 August 2004


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