IMPROVED AUTOINJECTOR SUPPORTING THE SYRINGE AT THE FRONT

An autoinjector in which can be mounted a syringe, where the syringe comprises a barrel for holding a volume of medicament, a needle at one end of the barrel in fluid communication with the medicament, a plunger axially-moveable in the barrel to a forwardmost position, a needle sheath which is capable of sealing the forwardmost end of the needle to maintain sterility of the medicament within the barrel whereby, in use, the needle sheath must be removed from the needle immediately prior to actuating the autoinjector, and a removable needle cover for containing the needle sheath. The autoinjector comprises a syringe support means for supporting the barrel at an axial location at or forward of the forwardmost position of the plunger, the syringe support means comprising gripping means that, in a normal position, form a reaction surface for a front shoulder of the barrel or a narrowed cone region of the syringe where the needle is attached, and a front housing for receiving the syringe support means. The syringe support means is configured such that when the syringe is inserted axially into the rear end of the syringe support means, the gripping means flex radially outward from the normal position as the needle cover passes and then spring back to the normal position, and in a subsequent configuration in which the syringe support means is received in the front housing, the gripping means are prevented from flexing radially outward from the normal position due to abutment between the gripping means and the front housing. In use said reaction surface provides an axial compressive force on said barrel when a forward axial force is applied to the plunger.