IPA-3 inhibits Pak1 activation in part by binding covalently to the regulatory domain of Pak1. IPA-3 binds Pak1 covalently in a time- and temperature-dependent manner. IPA-3 prevents binding of the Pak1 activator Cdc42. IPA-3 binds directly to the Pak1 autoregulatory domain. IPA-3 reversibly inhibits PMA-induced membrane ruffling in cells. IPA-3 (2 μM, 5 μM or 20 μM) reduces cell spreading in human primary Schwann and schwannoma cells. IPA-3 treatment significantly reduces the number of adherent Schwann and schwannoma cells in a dose-dependent manner. IPA-3 is a non ATP-competitive, allosteric inhibitor of p21-activated kinase 1 (Pak1). PIR3.5 is the control compound of IPA-3. IPA-3 prevents Cdc42-stimulated Pak1 autophosphorylation on Thr423. IPA-3 also prevents sphingosine-dependent Pak1 autophosphorylation. IPA-3 does not target exposed cysteine residues on Pak1. The disulfide bond of IPA-3 is critical for inhibition of Pak1 and in vitro reduction by the reducing agent dithiothreitol (DTT) abolishes Pak1 inhibition by IPA-3. IPA-3 inhibits activation of Pak1 by diverse activators, but does not inhibit preactivated Pak1. IPA-3 inhibits PDGF-stimulated Pak activation in mouse embryonic fibroblasts.