The invention relates to an auto-injector (1) for administering a dose of a liquid medicament (M), comprising- a housing (2) arranged to contain a syringe (3) with a hollow needle (4) and a stopper (5) for sealing the syringe (3) and displacing the medicament (M), the housing (2) having a distal end (D) and a proximal end (P) with an orifice intended to be applied against an injection site, wherein the syringe (3) is slidably arranged with respect to the housing (2),- drive means (6) capable of, upon activation:- pushing the needle (4) from a covered position inside the housing (2) into an advanced position through the orifice and past the proximal end (P), and- operating the syringe (3) to supply the dose of medicament (M), and- activating means (12) arranged to lock the drive means (6) in a loaded state prior to manual operation and capable of, upon manual operation, releasing the drive means (6) for injection,characterized in that the drive means (6) is at least one spring (6) essentially transversally arranged with respect to a longitudinal axis of the syringe (3) at least when in the loaded state.
