A method and pharmaceutical composition for the enhancement of transfer of
a therapeutic agent to a cell wherein the therapeutic agent is formulated
in a buffer comprising a compound of Formula I: ##STR00001## wherein:
n is an integer from 2-8; X.sub.1 is a cholic acid group or deoxycholic
acid group; and X.sub.2 and X.sub.3 are each independently selected from
the group consisting of a cholic acid group, a deoxycholic acid group,
and a saccharide group, wherein the saccharide group is selected from the
group consisting of pentose monosaccharide groups, hexose monosaccharide
groups, pentose-pentose disaccharide groups, hexose-hexose disaccharide
groups, pentose-hexose disaccharide groups, and hexose-pentose
disaccharide groups; and wherein at least one of X.sub.2 and X.sub.3 is a
saccharide group.