AstraZeneca beats third-quarter sales estimate, backs 2020 outlook

(Reuters) – AstraZeneca , the British drugmaker working on one of the world’s leading COVID-19 vaccine candidates, on Thursday beat third-quarter sales estimates on strong demand for its diverse portfolio of drugs during COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns and maintained its 2020 forecasts.

(Reporting by Pushkala Aripaka, Ludwig Burger in Frankfurt; Editing by Bernard Orr)