5‐Lipoxygenase and its products, the leukotrienes, are intimately involved in the inflammatory response and have been targeted for the treatment of asthma for over two decades with the development of the 5‐LO inhibitor zileuton (Zyflo®) and the cys‐leukotriene‐1 (Cys‐LT1) receptor antagonists montelukast (Singulair®) and zafirlukast (Accolate®). This evidence concerns the gene ALOX5 and asthma.