Hybrid paucilamellar lipid vesicles

A method of making paucilamellar lipid vesicles with phospholipids or glycolipids as the primary structural material of the lipid bilayers, said vesicles having 2-10 lipid bilayers surrounding a substantially amorphous central cavity containing a water-immiscible oily material, said method consisting essentially of the steps of:

• forming a lipid phase by blending a lipid selected from the group consisting of phospholipids, glycolipids, and mixtures thereof with any sterol or charge producing agent to be incorporated into the lipid bilayer;
• forming an oil phase by blending a water-immiscible oily material with any materials soluble therein which are to be incorporated into the vesicle;
• forming an aqueous phase by blending an aqueous-based solution with any aqueous soluble materials to be incorporated into said vesicles;
• blending said lipid phase and said oil phase to form a lipophilic phase;
• and
• shear mixing said lipophilic phase and said aqueous phase to form said vesicles without the formation of a separable lamellar phase.