The design and synthesis of a new class of p38α MAP kinase inhibitors based on 4- fluorobenzylpiperidine heterocyclic oxalyl amides are described. Many of these compounds showed low-nanomolar activities in p38α enzymatic and cell-based cytokine TNFα production inhibition assays. The optimal linkers between the piperidine and the oxalyl amide were found to be [6, 5] fused ring heterocycles. Substituted indoles and azaindoles ...