Transaction in Own Shares

AstraZeneca PLC
17 March 2005




REPURCHASE OF SHARES IN ASTRAZENECA PLC



AstraZeneca PLC announced that on 16 March 2005, it purchased for cancellation
850,000 ordinary shares of AstraZeneca PLC at a price of 2183 pence per share.
Upon the cancellation of these shares, the number of shares in issue will be
1,634,634,972.

G H R Musker
Company Secretary

17 March 2005


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