Transaction in Own Shares

AstraZeneca PLC
24 December 2004


                  REPURCHASE OF SHARES IN ASTRAZENECA PLC


AstraZeneca PLC announced that on 23 December 2004, it purchased for
cancellation 700,000 ordinary shares of AstraZeneca PLC at a price of 1854 pence
per share. Upon the cancellation of these shares, the number of shares in issue
will be 1,646,051,891.


G H R Musker
Company Secretary
24 December 2004


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