Abstract: The present invention provides compositions comprising delivery systems comprising a lipid vehicle, a bioactive compound, and a polyanionic carrier macromolecule that is not a carrier polynucleotide, wherein the lipid vehicle encapsulates the polynucleotide of interest and the polyanionic carrier macromolecule, and wherein the delivery system is essentially free of carrier polynucleotides. Compositions also include delivery systems comprising a lipid vehicle and a bioactive agent, wherein the lipid vehicle encapsulates the bioactive agent, and wherein the lipid vehicle comprises a covalent bilayer or a core supported bilayer comprising polycationic lipids. Other compositions provided herein comprise a delivery system comprising a polypeptide of interest and a means for delivering the polypeptide into a cell.