SAR studies led to the identification of 4-(3-benzoylamino-6-methyl-anilino)quinazolines as potent and selective inhibitors of p38 MAP kinase. Further optimisation led to the identification of a series of 4-(3-benzoylamino-6-methyl-anilino)pyrimidines as potent inhibitors of the p38 MAP kinase signalling pathway in vitro and in vivo.