A method of identifying a compound with efficacy in the treatment of chronic inflammatory disease by testing the compound for an ability to selectively inhibit the ability of T.sub.ck cells to induce pro-inflammatory cytokine release from a monocyte is disclosed. The method includes pre-incubatin T.sub.ck cells with a compound to be tested, optionally resuspending the T.sub.ck cells in the absence of the test compound, co-culturing the T.sub.ck cells with monocytes, and assaying for the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines by the monocytes. The T.sub.ck cells are produced by incubating a population of T cells with one or more cytokines or the T.sub.ck cells are isolated from synovial tissue. The T.sub.ck cells have not been contacted with an anti-CD3 antibody. The ability to selectively inhibit cytokine release indicates that the compound has efficacy in the treatment of chronic inflammatory disease.