AstraZeneca posted a third quarter sales increase of 3%, to 7.8 billion, according to a company report released today. Emerging markets contributed $1.1 billion – an 18% growth – to the bottom line. In China specifically, the company saw a 35% increase in sales. Crestor profited from its atherosclerosis indication, and US sales of the drug increased by 23%, marking the only branded statin to gain market share in the US this year, according to a company statement. “AstraZeneca has delivered a robust set of results that deliver on our performance commitments despite an increasingly challenging environment for the pharmaceutical sector and business in general,” said David Brennan, CEO, in the report.