Ibrutinib sensitizes CLL cells to venetoclax by interrupting TLR9-induced CD40 upregulation and protein translation.

"Competing interests The authors declare no competing interests."

"KK is financed by the PPP Allowance made available by Top Sector Life Sciences & Health to Samenwerkende Gezondheidsfondsen (SGF) under projectnumber LSHM18055-SGF to stimulate public-private partnerships and co-financing by health foundations that are part of the SFG. For more information: www.target-to-b.nl. MVH was funded by the Blaauboer Fund via the AMC Foundation. Samples were obtained from biobanked material of the Hovon 141/Vision clinical trial. The trial is sponsored by the non-profit study organization HOVON and designed by the investigators. The trial is financially supported by AbbVie and Janssen. We thank Lori D. Parisi for critical reading and suggestions for this manuscript. We thank master student Jasper Geissler for his contribution to the data in Fig. 4."