A diabetes drug which may slow the progression of Parkinson’s disease is "really encouraging" for people with the illness according to an Oxford professor.

The drug marks a "significant step forward" in managing the condition, a new study suggests.

The LixiPark study discovered that patients who consumed lixisenatide displayed a slowdown in motor symptoms such as tremors and slowness of movement.

However, the study also identified several side effects, with 46 per cent of participants experiencing nausea and 13 per cent suffering from vomiting.

Masud Husain, professor of neurology at the University of Oxford, said: "The results of this trial are really encouraging for people with Parkinson’s disease.

"After a year, patients who were on the drug were significantly better off in their movements than those who weren’t on the medication.

"However, the findings do not provide conclusive evidence that the drug has a protective effect on the brain to effectively slow down disease progression.

"We also have to bear in mind the side effects."

The Toulouse University Hospital-sponsored study was jointly financed by UK charity Cure Parkinson’s, Van Andel Institute, and the French Ministry of Health, with drug and placebo support from pharmaceutical company Sanofi.

Lixisenatide belongs to a group of medicines known as glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor (GLP-1R) agonists.

They work by mimicking the action of a natural gut hormone that is produced after eating food.

This hormone stimulates insulin release from the pancreas, aiding cells in absorbing glucose that ultimately converts into energy.

Research has revealed a connection between Parkinson’s and type 2 diabetes.

Diabetes patients are at an elevated risk of developing Parkinson’s, and those with Parkinson’s who also have type 2 diabetes often witness a quicker deterioration of their symptoms, research suggests.

People with diabetes treated with GLP-1R agonist medicines appear to have a lower risk of developing Parkinson's.

Dr Richard Wyse, director of clinical development at Cure Parkinson’s, said: "I am thrilled to see the extremely positive, ground breaking clinical outcome of the lixisenatide trial, which could have real meaning for people living with Parkinson’s."

The research involved 156 people recently diagnosed with Parkinson's.

Participants were either treated with lixisenatide, which is approved for diabetes in the UK, or a placebo along with their usual Parkinson's medication.

Those receiving lixisenatide saw motor symptoms progression slow, whereas the others' symptoms continued to advance.

Consistent findings at the end of the 12-month study and two months post-treatment cement the need for larger, longer studies.

The findings come ahead of World Parkinson's Day which takes place every year on April 11.