We investigated the delivery of foreign genes into mouse glioma cells in vivo using hemagglutinating virus of Japan (HVJ)-liposomes, which are coated by Sendai virus envelope protein. HVJ-liposomes, containing lacZ gene or herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase (HSVtk) gene-bearing plasmid DNA were applied in the meningeal gliomatosis (MG) mouse model system. Highly efficient delivery was observed in disseminated glioma cells, and 80% of MG mice expressing the HSVtk gene were cured by treatment with ganciclovir. These results suggest that this novel gene delivery system may be applicable for the in vivo gene therapy of human malignant glioma.