Transaction in Own Shares

AstraZeneca PLC
14 March 2005

                      REPURCHASE OF SHARES IN ASTRAZENECA PLC

AstraZeneca PLC announced that on 11 March 2005, it purchased for cancellation
500,000 ordinary shares of AstraZeneca PLC at a price of 2180 pence per share.
Upon the cancellation of these shares, the number of shares in issue will be
1,635,453,486.

G H R Musker
Company Secretary
14 March 2005


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