Transaction in Own Shares

AstraZeneca PLC
15 December 2004

                    REPURCHASE OF SHARES IN ASTRAZENECA PLC


AstraZeneca PLC announced that on 14 December 2004, it purchased for
cancellation 1,000,000 ordinary shares of AstraZeneca PLC at a price of 2059
pence per share. Upon the cancellation of these shares, the number of shares in
issue will be 1,649,149,596.


G H R Musker
Company Secretary
15 December 2004


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