Transaction in Own Shares

AstraZeneca PLC
31 December 2004


                  REPURCHASE OF SHARES IN ASTRAZENECA PLC

AstraZeneca PLC announced that on 30 December 2004, it purchased for
cancellation 500,000 ordinary shares of AstraZeneca PLC at a price of 1876 pence
per share. Upon the cancellation of these shares, the number of shares in issue
will be 1,645,051,891.

G H R Musker
Company Secretary
31 December 2004

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