The present invention is embodied by a composition capable of chaperoning a typicallynon-orally available therapeutic or diagnostic agent through the environmentof the digestive tract such that the therapetucic or diagnostic agent is bioavailable.The composition may or may not be targeted to specific cellular receptors, suchas hepatocytes. Therapeutic agents include, but are not limited to, insulin,calcitonin, serotonin, and other proteins. Targeting is accomplished withbiotin or metal based targeting agents.