Transaction in Own Shares

AstraZeneca PLC
03 August 2004


                    REPURCHASE OF SHARES IN ASTRAZENECA PLC

AstraZeneca PLC announced that on 2 August 2004, it purchased for cancellation
400,000 ordinary shares of AstraZeneca PLC at a price of 2455 pence per share.
Upon the cancellation of these shares, the number of shares in issue will be
1,671,401,069.

G H R Musker
Company Secretary
3 August 2004


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