Compositions comprising liposomes are frequently used to deliver nucleic acidsto a mammal for exogenous expression of a therapeutic protein, suppression ofthe expression of a disease-causing protein, or to induce an immune responseagainst a disease-causing pathogenic cell or a cancer cell. The liposome-nucleicacid complex of these compositions are normally suspended as a dispersed phasein a pharmaceutically-acceptable aqueous carrier that constitutes a continuousphase to form an oil-in-water emulsion. Using a continuous phase of a hydrophobiccarrier, instead of an aqueous carrier, to carry the dispersed phase of liposomesencapsulating nucleic acids, a composition is produced that is more effectivein delivering nucleic acids to a mammalian subject in addition to being encapsulatedin the liposomes, the nucleic acids may also be present in the hydrophobic carrieras a water-in-oil emulsion.
