HS-243 has exquisite selectivity toward both IRAK-1 (IC50 = 24 nM) and IRAK-4 (IC50 = 20 nM), with only minimal TAK1-inhibiting activity (IC50 = 0.5 μM). Using HS-243 and takinib, we evaluates the consequences of cytokine/chemokine responses after selective inhibition of IRAK-1/4 or TAK1 in response to lipopolysaccharide challenge in human rheumatoid arthritis fibroblast-like synoviocytes. HS-243 specifically inhibits intracellular IRAKs without TAK1 inhibition and these kinases have distinct, nonredundant signaling roles.